Rhythm of Fate
by IOILyrebirdIOI
Summary: Another cliche? You wish. Don't agree? Keep scrolling. Unless you want to hear the twisted story of a girl's journey to prove her strength, move on. Ayano Kagami; Daughter of a Music Hunter, master of the musical arts. Once praised, brought low with shame and hatred. She's taking the Exam for herself, but four boys turn her whole world upside down. And that isn't such a bad thing.
1. A X Newborn X Legend

Have you ever visited Un valley of Kakuse Island? I hope you have. It's a popular destination for families and young couples. I suppose you wouldn't know where Kakuse Island is. I'll tell you, but you should look at the map first before you read on. Don't have a map? Look above you! I've found one for your convenience.

Now, do you see the Yorbian Continent? Yes yes, the one with YorkNew City in the centre. Yes! Now look a little lower and put your finger on the islands below.

No, that's too low! Your finger has landed on NGL, the furthest island away from YorkNew. Kakuse Island is closer to the city.

Yes, I think you've found it now. It's a tiny island isn't it? Your'e covering it with your finger aren't you? Then congratulations! You have found Kakuse Island, home to the majestic Un Valley and its bustling communities! A special little girl lives there in Un Valley.

But before I talk about the girl I want to tell you about Un Valley.

Un Valley is a popular destination for people who want the comforts of the countryside. The valley is coated in lush vegetation and wildflowers, stretching for miles. Quant homes dot the sides of the valley and are surrounded by wooden fence.

Inside these patches are mellow creatures; cows and horses devouring mouthfuls of grass, speckled fowl wandering between their long legs and dogs tearing around the wide space. Fresh air and rolling hills always give the visitors a sense of freedom.

Who wouldn't feel like a new spirit with the lifestyle of Un Valley? The sunsets and sunrises were never blocked by city lights. The long-grass billow in the breeze, enticing people to stay a little longer. The culture is refreshing and simple; markets stocked with whatever the natives had cultivated, charming events in

town-square and tours of the villages were always taking place.

Now, to get back into business. The little girl.

If you've ever been to Town Square you would know of the enchanting atmosphere. The stalls are full of freshly laid eggs, cultivated produce wrapped in newspaper, silks, yarn, tools and baked goods. The children running up and down the street to trade nick-knacks and silver buttons. The Victorian style of the buildings and people are ancient.y beautiful!

But once in a while a little girl would appear on the corner of Sentaku Street. She was an average thing; just as simple and plain as the next village girl. Mottled brown hair tumbled down to her shoulders, wide river moss eyes framed with thin black lashes. Her tiny ears would peek behind her hair and her hands were always occupied by a basket full of randoms.

She seemed to be, to any visitor or traveler, a street peddler. A Hawker.

That was, until she picked a random from her basket and began to sing.

This street peddler was non other than the youngest daughter of The Kagami Family. A rich powerful family living in the arch of Un Valley. For those of you who have visited, you would have seen the magnificent mansion from afar as you were shown around.

The locals adore the Kagami Family; The head of the family is a Music Hunter with his children following lead. His collection of rare and exotic music-pieces and his charitable deeds make the inhabitants of the Island feel pride. Each of his sweet daughters had some skill in the musical arts and are the heart and soul of the people.

But out of his seven daughters, Ayano Kagami was the most adored. The youngest of the lot, she was said to be her Father's 'Prodigy'; no melody was too complex, no range to high and no instrument un-mastered. The people whispered of her in the quietness of their homes. "She has the blessings of Lady Muse." They revelled. "Her mother must have been the deity herself!"

According the locals, musical talent ran like blood through the girls veins. Her heart was cast in gold and lined with sterling silver, overflowing with music. Her eyes were said to be the jewels of the island and that her smile was purer than melted ice water. Her singing was one of a cherub and no voice was more euphoric or sweet. It was said that she could bring the Devil to tears with the melodies she sang.

All was of course superstition. But that didn't stop the rumours, the whispers and the looks of awe.

The little girl Ayano would take little trinkets from the basket in her hands. They were trinkets that her older sisters cast away without thought, or things that her Father chose to burn. She knew deep in her silver-lined heart that there were people who didn't have what she had. This made her feel guilty as she so liked the village children and their families, and she wished to share her things.

So every Friday afternoon just when the big hand was between the two and three, she would stand on the corner of Sentaku Street and sell her families old things.

The payment was simple; she would sing a line or two of a made-up song, and you and to make up the rest. Easy and quite entertaining.

For example. Ayano would hold up a porcelain doll; its clothing rich and hair made of the softest yarn. In her cherub voice she would sing;

 _Porcelain skin and thick blonde hair,_

 _Can anyone care for a doll so fair?_

Ayano sang this repeatedly, attracting the stares of many that passed by. Several things would happen; people gathered around to listen to her voice, children would come running down to see what she had to sell and costumers would push forwards to claim what she was offering. A young child (most likely a girl around Ayano's age) would prance forward to ask for the doll. After much contemplation and a few moments the little girl would finish the rhyme:

 _I have no toys, only loads of charm!_

 _That pretty doll should be held in my arms!_

Not the best ending to the rhyme, but the brown-haired girl would give her the doll anyways. Then Ayano would pull out another random (maybe a necklace or a scarf) and start again;

 _A line of pearls on a pale string,_

 _Does anyone want this delicate thing?_

A house wife would bustle through the crowd. licking her lips, she thought of a rhyme.

 _I have no money. I am in debt,_

 _But I would love to have that around my neck!_

A selfish ending to a little rhyme. Ayano would hold the necklace out, spiralling the pearls into the woman's calloused hands. Another random would be brought out. Another rhyme would be sung. This would go on for a good while until the wicker basket was empty. It was good entertainment for those who didn't want anything and some of the rhymes were a bit silly!

 _A little bit of this and a little bit of that,_

 _Have come together to make this straw hat!_

Ayano would chime. A young boy (with a busted lip from fighting or tousled hair) would and belt;

 _I have a wart on my foot and a pig in my bed,_

 _But I could cure both with that hat on my head!_

Laughter would ripple through the on-lookers as Ayano bestowed the straw hat on the boy's head. Then the boy would troupe off with a goofy smile, the hat sliding over his eyes.

Yes, the locals admired The Kagami Family. But Ayano Kagami had a special place in their hearts, and they looked forward to her visits in the Town Square. They knew the day, the time and the place. It was almost a Street Show when she appeared for it drew the crowds together in fellowship.

Until one Friday afternoon (two days after her sixth birthday) something peculiar happened.

When the big hand was in between the two and the three, a small crowd had gathered on Setaku Street. News about the girl turning spread throughout the Valley like wildfire. Many desired to wish Ayano the best of tidings.

The crowd waited with suppressed excitement as the clock began to tick away. But the small figure of Ayano Kagami never showed up.

Confused, the people waited for the next Friday. When the day rolled around they gathered again, hopeful for the face they adored. Not one song was sung on Sentaku Street that day.

The people continued to wait for the brown-haired Kagami, bringing the wrapped gifts and the fellowship her little voice created. But it was all in vain. Ayano had disappeared.

Concerned, the people turned to The Kagami Household. "Where is your youngest daughter?" They asked The Music Hunter. The Music Hunter brought out his second-youngest, Mei, to the people. "Here she is. What do you want from her?" He asked.

"Not her!" Cried the people of Un Valley. "She isn't the one we adore! Where is the brown-haired Jewel of Kakuse Island? Where is the Muses Offspring? We want Ayano Kagami!" The Music Hunter shook his head in puzzlement. He seemed to be utterly baffled by whom the people were asking for.

"Mei is my youngest!" He assured. "She has always been the baby of the Kagami Family. Who is this Ayano Kagami that you speak of?" The people of Un Valley became worried. It seemed that the girl -who had claimed to be a member of The Kagami Family- had vanished off the face of the island.

"She must have been the Lady Muse sent in disguise!" Some whispered reverently.

"She could have been A Siren Witch from the oceans beyond." Other's scolded.

"Maybe she was a wandering Spirit, wishing to dwell amongst us!" More people debated.

The theories turned into gossip. Gossip turned into Fairytale. Fairytale turned to Legend. Legend turned to Myth. But nobody was quite sure about what happened to the girl with the wicker basket. Some believed that she hadn't even existed. That she was simply make-believe. But that didn't stop people from avoiding Setaku Street like the plague.

Some of the Town's outcasts- rickety storytellers and strange elderly men- always said that if you walked down Setaku Street on Friday with the big hand between two and three, you could hear a little girl's voice calling out to you from the corner.

Others said if you whispered one of her rhymes while staring at the spot she stood her spirit would appear and finish your rhyme.

Still more said that if you call out her name while walking down the street, the wind would carry her voice towards you.

Now a days, hardly anyone walks down Setaku Street. Nobody will glance at the corner where Ayano Kagami stood. And nobody dares to whistle a melody or sing a song when traveling down that road.

The tales drifted away into the back of everyone's minds; The Lady Muse, The Witch Siren, the Lonesome Spirit and The Cherub Girl.

All of it evaporated like mist in hot sun and hasn't been spoken of since.


	2. Sharing X An X Adventure

мaĸe new ғrιendѕ and ĸeep тнe old,

one ιѕ ѕιlver and тнe oтнer ιѕ gold~

-p #1-

A girl sat in a bustling café, watching the people walk by.

Alright. Should I start the story like this? I'm not so sure if I should begin this way. That first sentence is boring. Ok ok, I'm stalling. I'm just nervous! It's a long tale and I want to make sure that you enjoy it. Lemme rethink this beginning...don't rush me! Ok. I think I have a good beginning now. Let's redo this.

Ahem.

The smell of fried dumplings and boiled vegetables wafted through the restaurant, accompanied by sounds of soup bubbling on the back stove and quiet chatter from costumers. The scent and the welcoming interior created a warm scene. Everything was misted in steam from the kitchens with clinking utensils against bowls and plates.

In a section of the restaurant sat a girl, her thin legs crossed over one another and hands held in her lap. She was small. Anyone could have walked over and plucked her from where she sat. The term 'wallflower' perfectly described the young lady sitting at the table. However, the personality type was far off the grid.

If one of the costumers decided to sit down at the table, they would run into unsavoury discomfort.

Her tattered clothes were well concealed under the table; a black trench coat several sizes to big, accompanied by worn-out sneakers with soles peeling off. The rag skirt that clung to her waist was covered by the coat, giving off the impression that she was half-naked underneath.

Her face resembled a forgotten doll; it was obvious that she used to be cute. Chalk purple hair was certainly eye-catching. It isn't often that you see that colour. It was tied back into a ponytail, violet strands coming loose and wisping around her face.

Cat eyes peered at the others in the restaurant; they resembled opal stones, orphic chips of hue in her depths.

These eyes set in a round face screamed one word; abstract.

But time had worn her down to nothing more than a tired, sad-looking child. Large bags hung under her eyes; it was obvious she hadn't a proper night's sleep in ages. The purple locks were greasy and dull. Her opal eyes had no hint of the curious innocence that most children had. Gaunt cheekbones poked shyly from underneath her eyes. Tiny flower lips were cracked and peeling. Her hands were rough with calluses and her nails were painfully short due to stress. If were scandalous enough to look under the table, you would find jagged scars down her legs.

A interesting character, isn't she? The questions that run circles in your head! Where did she come from? Why was she in such a raw state? What is her past? I can see it. The gears turning in your head as you think. Why would we jump from an island girl vanishing, to a tattered girl in a bustling city? Yes. Your making the connections now.

The six-year old Prodigy of The Kagami Family.

The young girl of Sentaku Street.

The Jewel of Kakuse Island. The Lady Muse, The Witch Siren and The Wandering Spirit.

This girl, sitting in this restaurant in Zaban City, used to wear these names on her sleeve. If only people knew that she was still alive! But it's impossible to find any similarities between the two; the brown-haired valley girl against the candy-haired lonely teen. The Ayano Kagami of the past has vanished off the face of the earth, only to be replaced by this queer and beaten Ayano Kagami of the present.

Ayano stared at the costumers, nibbling on her fingernails. She was, in all honesty, confused. Why had her sixth sense led her to this small cafe in the middle of Zaban City?

She had been searching for an escape; The Legendary Hunter's Exam. Ayano knew of it because her older siblings had taken the Exam years ago. It was family tradition to follow in their Father's footsteps.

A bowl of soup dumplings passed by her table, steam curling from its contents. Ayano had to suppress the urge to throw herself at the waiter. She was starving! She hadn't eaten in-

Ayano stopped chewing her nails to think. How many weeks was it since she had escaped her family? Almost five. It was hard to get a proper meal and a good nights sleep on the run. But the girl knew that water was absolutely vital. She had a water sack stuffed in one of her many pockets.

Her ravenous chewing continued its course as she gazed at the door of the restaurant. It had been five weeks since a proper meal. Not including the bush tucker and the things she had to nab to stay in good condition.

Ayano had no money either. Paying for food at the restaurant was out of the question.

But seriously. Why had her sixth sense led her to a delicious, dumpling filled restaurant in the first place?! The purplette stopped chewing her nails again. Maybe she should check one more time to make sure she wasn't going crazy. Who knows? Maybe she was crazy. An odd smile crawled across her lips; scratch that. She knew she was crazy. But would a little caution hurt?

Tilting back in the chair she pressed her ear against the wall. Strange thing to do in a restaurant! But Ayano could care less. The girl closed her eyes and began to meditate. She focused all of her attention of one of her senses; her sense of sound.

Ayano Kagami wasn't her Father's Prodigy for nothing. As the daughter of a Music Hunter, your hearing had to be superior to that of a normal human.

The fourteen-year old let her breathing dip into shallow gulps. The softer her breathing, the clearer her world became. The trick was not to faint in the process. She could hear everything at once. The footsteps of people in the kitchen, the scraping chairs in the back room and the muttering of a customer on the opposite side of the room. Theses sounds were so clear that a mental image of the area around her formed in her head.

"More." Ayano whispered. Her voice was nothing louder than the sound of her own breath. She stopped breathing to enhance her sense of sound even more. Her mind went into a sleep-like state now that she had cut off most of her senses.

At once everything became a wide-scale map in her head. Not only could she see the entire restaurant, but she could pick up the faintest of sounds; individual bubbles of soup in the kitchen, a sugar granule moving at the bottom of a tea cup and the wet sound of someone licking their lips.

The individual breaths of the costumers rose into cacophony. But she wasn't focused on that.

Ayano was more intrigued by the breathing below the restaurant. Around a hundred people below her, she guessed. Curious thing! Could they be buried alive? It sounded unpleasant but Ayano had been buried alive before. It wasn't that bad if you rationed your gulps of air.

But they didn't seem to be breathing out of fear. If anything they were all nervous.

When a person becomes nervous, two things happen; their breathing changes and they begin to sweat. When nervous, a Human's breathing becomes quick and shallow. This contributes to the anxious feeling and doesn't help the situation at all. Ayano could hear this from the breathing below.

She could also hear the faint thrum that echoed through the ground once in a while. The girl let another smile crawl across her face; she could recognise that sound anywhere. The sound of sweat (or any liquid) hitting the ground.

The Hunter's Exam! Looks like she hadn't been hearing things after all! Shame. It was a common occurrence for that to happen. The only problem was where to find the entrance.

Ayano was jolted out of her state when the front door swung open. She felt everything crash into her; the smell of food, the harsh light, the taste of salt on her tongue and the clatter of society. It shook her badly and she half expected one of her siblings to come charging at her.

"Welcome!" The chef standing in the kitchen greeted the people walking in. Ayano gripped the table to stop her hands from shaking before glancing at the costumers. To her relief she didn't recognise them. "Calm down." She whispered to herself. She tried to adjust to everything as she sat back down. But her rough hands continued to tremble as she watched the interaction.

A man with short grey-brown hair and deerskin clothing stepped forward. He wore tan pants and leather shoes, and the light reflected off his bright red eyes. Ayano scanned him up and down until her opal eyes landed on his face.

"Curious." She murmured. "What an interesting face shape." The man's face made her recall a book she had read when she was younger. Magical Beasts and their abilities, the book had said, for young children.

One page had stuck out to her. It was one of her favourite Magical Beasts.

The Kiriko, the text read, are shape-shifters. That means that they can change their appearance to mimic humans! A Kiriko has a long pointed snout like a dog and thin, slanted eyes that are angled downwards. They also have long arms and big bodies. An adult Kiriko would be twice the size of a human man, and they have a thin stretch of skin under their arms to help them fly.

It was a cheesy book meant for small children. But being the curious child Ayano was, she decided to do more research.

Another text (this one was meant for adults) explained a popular theory; when shape shifting, Kiriko will be hard to identify. But every Kiriko mimics one thing from their original appearance. The long face and slanted eyes are one give away. Strange coloured eyes and unusual behaviour are other things to look for.

"Slanted eyes and a long face." Ayano repeated to herself. Then it hit her like a tone of pounds. A Kiriko! Could he be one? She buzzed away to herself while the chef conversed with the man.

"Hello. Is the back room open?" The man inquired. The chef never looked up from the stew, but he smiled warmly. "What will you have?" He responded.

Without hesitation the man replied, "The steak combo that opens your eyes to the light, for three." He held up his fingers and pointed to the other three.

The chef responded strangely to the request. He straightened up and peered intensely at the new customers, soup forgotten. "For three..." He repeated slowly.

Heavy tension filled the restaurant. It was so thick that to Ayano it seemed like a tangible substance.

After a long pause, the chef asked. How would you like them?"

The red-eyed man never broke eye contact. "Grilled over a low flame, until cooked." He answered. The chef peered a moment longer before looking away and continuing to stir the soup. "Got it. Let yourself in the back room."

Some inner being moved within Ayano. Maybe it was the fact that she was desperate to get into the Exam. Maybe she liked the easy atmosphere of the four costumers. But if you brought it up around her, she would respond with this. "A chance of a life-time was walking right past me. Like hell I was going to miss out on it!"

Ayano stood up from her seat. Her chair scrapped against the floor and wood chips sprayed from her chair.

"Could you make that four?" She called out to the chef.

The attention from the four customers and the chef nearly convinced Ayano to sit back down. Staying firm, she grabbed the table for support. "I would like to have the same order as them, please." She stated.

The chef raised an eyebrow. His eyes ran curiously over her ragged hair, eye bags, ratty attire before shooting back up to her face.

"You've been sitting in that corner for three hours, miss." The chef responded. He lowered his spoon and placed all of his attention on the fourteen-year old. "Why are you here?"

Splinters dug into Ayano's fingers. What was she supposed to say, that she was here to take the Hunter's Exam? This was a secretive business and she knew it. How could she hint to them that she was there for The Exam itself? Her mind came up with zero excuses, when a line from one of her favourite books popped into being.

"I-I am looking for people to share an adventure with." She started. The chef nodded as if to say go on. So she continued. "People who are keen for a sense of mystery and a bit of danger." She nodded at the four costumers across the room. "And I think I've found them."

The chef laughed, catching Ayano off guard. The man's shoulders shook as he picked up his spoon and began to stir the soup again. "Adventure, eh?" He chuckled. "Yes. I think you have been waiting for these boys. Go to the back room lass! You're alright."

One of the customers bounced over to her and grabbed her arm. "Come on! I'm hungry for steak!" He said while dragging the girl towards the back room, his companions following suit.

"E-eh?" Ayano mumbled. It seemed that the costumers weren't offended by her barging in. Didn't they think she was suspicious?

The man with red eyes led them into the back room. As she was tugged through the door, she drank in the room. Everything was dyed deep crimson and laced with dark yellow fabric. In the centre was a round table with three chairs surrounding it.

All four turned to the red-eyed man for further instruction. "Wait here." He commanded. One of the costumers snorted, a scornful look on his face. "Wait?" He repeated. "Where are the others?" The boy who held Ayano's arms spoke over his friend. "I can't wait for the steak combo!" He grinned. Ayano peered at him doubtfully. That was the password to get into the Exam wasn't it? They weren't going to get food.

The third friend sighed, like having the boy mixing stuff up was a common thing. "Gon, that was just the password to get inside." He told him.

The boy named Gon frowned. "Oh, we don't get to eat?" A little pout formed on his lips when he spoke. Ayano felt the urge to pinch his cheeks. He was surprisingly endearing!

"One in every ten thousand..."

Everyone turned back to the red-eyed man. He stood in the doorway of the room. He was about to leave. "The number of applicants who make it this far." He continued. "You've done very well for first-timers." He bowed slightly and smiled. "Well, good luck."

The boy stuck out his hand to the man and grinned. "Thanks!" He said. The red-eyed man seemed taken aback by the gesture. But his smile grew wider and he clasped the boy's hand. "I would be happy to serve as your Navigator next year, as well." He stated warmly.

The man released his hand and left with the door closed.

As soon as this happened the room shuddered. Everyone wobbled on their feet and gasped. "What?" The tall man grumbled. The third boy gazed around at the shaking room with cat-like eyes. "It appears that this room is an elevator." He concluded.

Ayano gasped. "No wonder!" She said aloud. The other three turned to her curiously, like they had realised that she was still with them. This made her jump. She was feeling shy all of a sudden. "T-this makes sense," she went on nervously. "I heard lots of people below ground. This must be the entrance!"

The others nodded in unison before the cat-eyed boy pointed out the moving numbers above them. The three of them watched it tick apprehensively while the taller man plopped down on a chair with a huff. "Bastard," he whined. "He expects us to fail this year!" Ayano couldn't help but roll her eyes. What a child! She was much better behaved than this man.

"Once every three years." The cat-eyed boy pondered as he sat down. Gon did the same, but Ayano noticed there were no more chairs left. So she stood silently and hoped that she wouldn't be noticed. "What's that?" The tall man asked.

"The frequency with which a rookie passes the Exam." The boy finished.

"Eh?" The man started.

"It's that unusual?" Gon asked curiously.

Ayano couldn't help but pipe into the conversation. "Of course." She said. The three males turned to her as she continued. "The Hunter's Exam is a well known test for many who wish to make their mark on this world. People from far and wide come to try it out. Hundreds are trained from birth to participate!"

The cat-eyed boy nodded. "This is true." He stated. "Those who aren't well trained cannot endure the Exam's physical and mental strain. It's also not unusual for veterans to break the rookies, who consequently never retake the test."

Gon seemed to understand how dangerous the Exam was. "So I guess candidates are willing to risk everything to become Hunters." He concluded.

"BUT OF COURSE, MY FRIEND!" The tall man leapt from his chair and slammed his hands down onto the table, making them all jump. "Hunter's make the most money in the world!"

Both Gon and Ayano stared at him, blinking slowly. Money? Ayano thought. She had no idea that Hunter's were so rich. The question was, how much money would there be? Enough to get rid of her family for good?

"No!" The cat-eyed boy jumped up as well, putting his fist down. "Hunter's are the most noble of this world." He faced the tall man with unyielding determination and Ayano wondered if they had argued about this before.

"Glory hog!" The tall man sneered.

"Money grubber!" Cat-eyes retaliated.

Both males began to growl at each other fiercely. Ayano tilted her head in confusion before pulling up a chair to Gon. Together they sat watched the duo growl it out. "Are they usually like this?" Ayano whispered to him. He nodded solemnly. "Yup. This is how it goes."

Then he perked up. "Oh! I haven't told you my name yet!" Sticking out a hand, he gave introductions. "I'm Gon! Gon Freecs!" The boy said cheerfully. "What's your name?" Ayano smiled. She decided that even if they were strangers, she liked him anyways. Taking his hand she replied, "I'm Ayano! Ayano Kagami."

The duo shook hands enthusiastically before Gon let go and pointed to his friends. "The tall one in the suit is Leorio. He's taking the Hunter's Exam for the money. And that's Kurapika. He's taking the Exam so he can hunt down criminals!"

For the first time in a while, child-like curiosity filled Ayano's eyes. Wishing to fulfill this sudden desire the girl quickly scanned the two males for better identification.

Leorio seemed to be the oldest of the group. He was a tall, fairy muscular young man with small brown eyes and dark brown hair in a spiky crew cut. His chiseled jawline was dotted with whiskers and a faint (almost transparent) stubble on his chin.

Leorio was lanky and his face reminded Ayano of a monkey. He appeared to be mature and classy, even though she knew this wasn't the case.

Leorio sported a dark blue business suit, black shoes, tea-shade glasses and an aqua tie. The girl watched as Leorio raged at his friend, flecks of spittle flying from his mouth.

Kurapika, on the other hand was the complete opposite. He had pale blond hair and sharp grey eyes that screamed the word 'intellectual'. He had a pretty face for a boy; his soft careful speech, the gentle slope of his jaw and the cat-like eyes didn't help this.

He was reasonably tall and skinny, though in terms of height he came in between Ayano and Leorio. He reminded Ayano of a sibling of hers who would spend hours upon hours in the Estate's Library, reading books.

Kurapika adorned a deep blue tabard decorated with a red-coloured hem and periwinkle flats. It also appeared that he was wearing a white full-body training suit underneath.

Kurapika pressed his forehead against Leorio, yelling as well. The noise made Ayano wince.

Turning back to Gon, she officially noticed his appearance.

The boy wore a leaf green jacket outlined in red lines. He also wore matching green shorts and green laced boots. Ayano wondered if green was his favourite colour. She noticed a flash of black and white underneath his jacket. He was wearing a black and white tanktop!

The boy had coffee brown hair that seemed to defy gravity in spiky nature. Large warm honey brown eyes stared at the commotion before him, filled with a strange light that Ayano couldn't fathom. This boy seemed to have so much energy and spirit!

A pang of familiarity hit the girl in the stomach. He reminded her of her home valley; the green/brown colours that he adorned and his light energetic spirit reflected the sloping hills of Un Valley.

She was jolted out of her homesickness when Leorio popped up next to them. "Gon! Random girl! Listen..." He said passionately. "Every year, over fifty Hunters make the list of the world's hundred richest people!" Leorio's voice got higher with every syllable and spittle rained on the duo's face.

Suddenly Leorio was moved away from the pair. Oh! Ayano thought. The table has a moveable disk! How cool! The man seemed just as surprised as she was.

"Hunters are associated with hunting wild game and treasure," Kurapika informed the pair with his chin lifted. He kept his hand on the moveable disk in the centre. He had been the one to move Leorio. "But they are all second rate!"

Passionate grey eyes glared at all of them. "True Hunters work to protect people and their natural order!" Leorio moved back around and leaned closer to Gon. "Now look here...once your a Hunter, most countries will give you a free pass! And no charge to use public faculties! How are those benefits!" He said wildly.

Again he was moved to the side by Kurapika, who lifted his finger in a contemplative gesture. "Hunters have many difficult and important responsibilities, such as preserving cultural artefacts and endangered species, as well as capturing wanted criminals and unscrupulous Hunters!"

Leorio: The fame and the money! That's why people wish to become Hunter's!

Kurapika: Profound knowledge, a healthy mind and body, and unyielding conviction! Those are the qualities on which Hunter's pride themselves!

Nose to nose the two males growled at each other. Finally they whipped around with wild eyes, staring at Gon and Ayano. "Gon! What do you think?" They shouted in unison. "What kind of Hunter do you hope to become!?"

Both kids felt beads of sweat roll down their foreheads. Jeez, these two were passionate! Ayano squirmed in her seat and glanced at Gon, who seemed just as put off as she was.

"Well," he said slowly. "When you put it that way..."

The elevator dinged, cutting off his sentence. Saved by the bell! Ayano thought. She gave herself a mental pat on the back for the joke. Leorio and Kurapika straightened and stared at the elevator doors.

"I think we've arrived." Kurapika said tersely.

"We'll continue this later." Leorio growled.

Gon seemed happy with these turn of events, because he sighed in relief. Ayano felt the same. What an intense situation! When the elevator doors opened the four stepped out of the room. They were met with a huge tunnel coated in metal beams and tiny red lights. At their end of the tunnel a massive group of people were milling about.

"These were the people that heard earlier." Ayano informed Gon as they walked foreword. This seemed to intrigue him for his brown eyes gleamed with childish excitement. "You could hear all these people from upstairs?" He asked, bouncing on his feet. Ayano grinned. "Yup. I could hear their individual breaths. It wasn't too hard."

"That's amazing!" Gon whispered. The way he spoke made Ayano feel strange; a sudden warmth invaded her chest and unconsciously she pressed her hand there. Yes. It had been a while since someone had complimented her skills. All she ever got from home was criticism.

"Strange atmosphere down here." Leorio's voice made the children look up. He stood with his brief case slung over his shoulder as he surveyed the group. Ayano had to agree; every single person down here gave the impression that they were (in their own stead) professionals.

"They clearly differ from the Hunter applicants we saw at the port and in the city." Kurapika observed. "Each a master in their own right..." He seemed unusually tense. Then again, he seemed to be a serious person. All the tension was getting to Ayano's head and she didn't like it one bit.

"Exxcuuuuseee meeeeee!" Gon's cheerful voice broke through the atmosphere like a knife. It was uncomfortable the way he moved to greet the other applicants. They all glared and turned away in response. This put the boy off and he stopped, wavering slightly. "Everyone's really tense." He said.

"Hello!~" a loud voice called to the four. All of them turned to see a tiny nose-less man (was it even a man?) waddle over to them. His skin was dark green and he wore a business suit similar to Leorio's. Large bead eyes looked up at them expectantly. "Hello!" He repeated while holding out a tag. "Please take a number."

Leorio took a tag from him and stared at it. #403, it read. The green man turned to Kurapika and offered the same thing. "Here you go." Kurapika took it blankly and read the tag number. #404, in black letters.

"Here!" Gon took his and read his number. #405.

"You too!" Ayano grabbed it and read the number as well. #406. There are four hundred people taking this Exam? "I need to work on my sixth sense better." She mumbled to herself. "I can't believe I only heard a hundred."

"Be sure to wear this on your chest at all times!" The green man informed them all. "Be careful not to lose it!" He wandered away to go find more applicants. Ayano pegged the tag on one of her many pockets. Pleased with the fit she turned to Gon once more.

"Hey, do you think that you could personally introduce me to your friends?" She asked him, albeit nervously. "I feel like it would be-"

"Heeeeey! Haven't seen you guys around before!" A welcoming voice cut her off. _Son of a butter-nut squash_. Ayano thought grumpily. The four looked for where the voice came from and found a man sitting on one of the metal beams. He smiled and waved. "Yo!"

Gon walked over to him and the others followed suit. "You can tell that we're new?" He asked curiously. The man shrugged. "More or less." He replied. With a grunt he jumped off the beam and walked over to them. "After all, this will be my thirty-fifth attempt at the Exam."

Gon and Leorio: Thirty-five times?!

Ayano and Kurapika simply poker-faced. Ayano knew that it was common for retakes. Some of her sisters had to retake the Hunter's Exam at least three times before finishing it. "I find that depressing." She murmured to the blond next to her. A smile crawled across his face and he nodded. "Well, just look at his physical appearance." Kurapika gestured. "Quite frankly I'm surprised he hadn't died all those times he retook the test."

Ayano snorted at this. The man that was talking was very fat. He wore a big blue shirt with a long-sleeved white shirt underneath. He also adorned baggy pants and flats. A bag was slung over his left shoulder and he had a massive nose and thinning brown hair.

Talk about attractive.

"Well, you could say I'm an Exam Veteran!" He said cheerfully, like failing was a good thing. Leorio pulled a face similar to a monkeys. "That isn't something to brag about." He grumbled.

"Indeed." Kurapika replied.

"If you have any questions, feel free to ask me!" The man offered kindly. Gon seemed totally at ease with the stranger and he thanked him for the offer. "My name is Tonpa!" The man said, sticking out a hand. Gon clasped it and shook vigorously. "I'm Gon!"

He then gestured to everyone else. "These are Kurapika, Leorio and Ayano!" He introduced. The three dipped their heads in respect and Tonpa did the same. While Gon began to grill Tonpa about the other applicants, Kurapika and Leorio glanced at Ayano.

"So, your name is Ayano huh?" Leorio muttered. Ayano fidgeted under the weight of their stares. They were probably expecting an apology from earlier. A wave of guilt washed over her and she felt foolish. Spinning on her toes, she clasped her hands together and bowed deeply. "I apologise for my previous behaviour!" She cried. The duo blinked at her sudden switch as she continued. "I had been waiting for hours in that restaurant and I knew that the Exam was there! I just didn't know the password! Please forgive me for intruding!"

"Ah, don't sweat it kid." Ayano looked up in confusion. Leorio seemed completely at ease. In fact, he didn't seem to care at all! "We all have our own way of getting what we want and we just happened along." He assured her.

"So you aren't-"

"Angry?" Kurapika offered. Ayano nodded sheepishly and the blond chuckled. "Of course not. We aren't angry at you. If anything, you surprised us by your request." He explained.

A massive weight lifted off the girl and she inhaled deeply. "Oh thank goodness!" She said happily. "I was so worried. I didn't want to offend anyone and I hope that things will run smoothly now!" Kurapika did something out of character. He held up his fist in a sort of 'bro' gesture. Ayano stared at his fist, then his face, then his fist. Was he being friendly? "O-oh!" She stuttered, before obliging shyly.

Leorio on the other hand did something a little more crazy. The man picked her up by the waist and spun her around. Ayano squealed in surprise, but it soon turned into uncontrollable laughter. He placed her down and she doubled over in giggles. "Sorry. But your so tiny I could throw you across the room, and I just wanted to pick you up! Feeling a little less anxious now?" Leorio asked. Ayano wobbled on her feet but nodded.

"T-thank you!" She said breathlessly. The trio chuckled at the lightness of the situation. Ayano felt another foreign feeling erupt in her chest; it pooled into her heart like blood and made the air around her so sweet. She felt open. She felt light.

And a strange word echoed through her brain. A word that had seemed so far away for the last eight years. A word that she had buried deep inside and guarded like a secret from the prying eyes of her Father and Sisters; friendship.

Friendship?

Friendship is a queer word. It choppy and round and it can give the speaker a devastatingly happy feeling.

And as Ayano glanced around at the boys around her the thought intensified. Could she dare to hope? Hope for a desire that had been snuffed out years ago?

Friendship?

Friendship.

She desperately hoped so.


	3. Noticing X Old X Aquantances

Can this be, could this be?

I hope so! I know so.

This is the beginning of change in me.

-P #1-

Do you have that one artist you've listened to since childhood? The one that makes you remember the memories of a six year-old? It flows through your veins and carves a path in your head. Your family knows every word by heart. It's all you ever listened to. It's all you ever sung. Then one day you meet a few people. "What do you listen to?" You ask them. They tell you their songs and you become curious.

That's when your interests stray from your childhood songs. You develop your own taste. The influence that your family had on you changes. You have your own song flowing through your veins. New paths and connections weave through your brain like a maze and you discover that there is more than just that one artist! More than just one type of music! The mass of genre excites you! You feel like you've discovered the world again.

Do you remember that? Do you remember that transition? Now, tell me.

Do you remember how your family was uncertain about that change?

Horrific screams ran chills down Ayano's neck. Instantly she was thrown back to when she was six, the day of her birthday. A hot-cold sensation racked her body and a lump formed in her throat. The group of five that she was standing in glanced around for the source. That's when Ayano saw him. The dread that lingered in her mind grew. 'Of course,' she thought bitterly. 'It was only a matter of time before I ran into my Father's business partner'.

Hisoka Marrow.

The girl watched numbly as a man ( who had offended the clown) wailed in terror and pain. His arms slowly disintegrated into tiny red flowers and it wasn't long before he collapsed to the floor whimpering. Ayano shot a look of distaste at Hisoka. It was obvious that he was enjoying the scene.

Hisoka was (in his own right) an intriguing person to look at. Let alone the fact that he was impossible to understand! The man's appearance was similar to that of a clown or a jester. A tall pale man with fairly toned stature, he towered over most of the applicants. He wore red-T and a white crop top decorated with various suit symbols, as well as white pants and dark blue shoes that curled at the ends. His burning red hair defied gravity (like Gon, Ayano noticed) and curled upwards. His eyes were chips of gold, thin and round. The clown even wore face paint; a maroon star on his right cheek and a turquoise tear-drop on his left.

Ayano couldn't hear what Hisoka was saying but she knew it was something creepy. "That psychopath is back again!" Tonpa mumbled. Gon, Kurapika and Leorio turned to him with nervous looks. It was obvious they were interested to learn more about this 'psychopath'. Ayano didn't need to hear it. Out of all the people in this room she probably knew more about Hisoka.

'I can't believe I've ran into someone familiar so quickly,' Ayano mused, watching the clown prowl through the crowd. 'I wonder if Father told him that I escaped. What if he's searching for me?' Hisoka stalking her was a terrifying thought.

Hisoka Marrow was in a group that had dealings with The Kagami Family. Ayano knew this because her Father would bring her along to his meetings. Her Father, the one that everyone admired, was a Hunter abusing his license. How do you think he got so many relics? Why he held so many 'parties '? Ayano had known the truth for years.

"Sh, Ayano." He would whisper to her, green eyes gleaming in the half-light. "Pretend that you didn't see a thing. You can keep secrets for Father can't you? It's just a game." And because six-year old Ayano never knew any better she complied. When you've been brought up one way, you tend to be blind to everything else.

But now she was learning.

When she was younger, Ayano would talk to her Father's partners. The first time she met Hisoka was when she was five. At that time she understood the concept of good and bad. The only thing that confused her was if Father was naughty or nice. But she knew that her sisters were bad and that she was the good one!

Ayano was toddling around the mansion when she bumped into Hisoka. At that time she was playing with her favourite toy. She could still remember it; a dark blue bird with button eyes and tiny wings. It had wheels instead of legs and the string was stapled to its beak. When she wasn't with Father, Ayano was pulling it around the mansion. She had wandered into one of Side-studies when a tall man blocked the door. Ayano looked up to see a strange sight. A clown! She had gaped at him, completely spellbound by the weirdly-dressed stranger.

The man hadn't said anything at first. He grinned at her with golden-clipped eyes. Thick tension flowed through the room as a heavy weight descended on Ayano. Slowly he took a step towards her, who was still spellbound by him. "Hello there, little one~!"The jester cooed.

This broke the spell and Ayano waddled up to him. "Hello!" She chirped. "Are you one of Father's friends?" The clown crouched down to her height. Tilting his head, he offered a hand. "Yes I am." He purred. "And who might you be?" Ayano was a clever thing but she never learned about the danger of strangers. The Village people were respectful and she never felt discomfort.

His hand dwarfed hers. "I'm Ayano! I'm the youngest!" She introduced. Then Ayano lowered her voice and leaned closer to him. "Can you keep a secret Mister Clown?" She asked seriously. The clown's lips curled into a grin. "But of course, Miss Ayano." He lowered his voice to humour her. "I'm the best at keeping secrets~!"

Her green hues shone with excitement. "I'm Father's favourite. He calls me his little 'progidy'. But don't tell my big sisters, Mister Clown!" Ayano said as she shook her head. "They don't like me." The clown chuckled. He was amused by how she pronounced the word. But Ayano could tell there was a change in his behaviour. The tension vanished and she felt lighter.

"I see~" The clown purred. He lifted his hand in front of her face, smirking. She watched curiously. Suddenly a card appeared in the clown's hand. Ayano gasped in delight! The card danced in and out of the man's fingers, vanishing and reappearing with ease. Another card appeared and danced alongside the other one.

Was it magic?

Of course it was.

Finally the cards vanished. The clown lowered his hand and smiled at Ayano, who beamed back at him. "That was enchanting Mister Clown!" She cheered. The clown chuckled again before tousling her brown locks. "Hisoka~." He corrected. Then he stood up and left the room.

From then on Ayano saw him as a good person. Once every 16 months he would appear at the Mansion to communicate with her Father. She liked Hisoka very much; mainly because of his magic tricks and the way he called her 'Miss Ayano'.

It wasn't until she heard him conversing with one of her sisters that she learned the truth.

Hisoka wasn't a funny clown. He was a murderer.

Since then she had silenced herself around him. He still tried to enchant her with his card tricks but she saw right through him. He was a monster. Just like her sisters. Just like her Father whom she used to adore.

Just like her.

Ayano was dragged from the past when Tonpa put something in her hands. Blinking, she looked up to see everyone holding an orange soda can. "Eh?" She said. Tonpa smiled at her, the action taking filling his chubby face. "A symbol of our friendship!" He offered.

Ayano almost flinched at the word 'friendship'. "O-of course!" She stuttered. Everyone opened their can's of soda and clinked them together. "To the Hunter's Exam!" Tonpa encouraged. "To the Hunter's Exam!" The four repeated. Ayano sloshed her juice around and lifted it to her lips.

Then she stopped.

"Actually, no thanks." She declined. The other three stopped their actions, puzzled. Tonpa seemed put off too because he began to stutter. As he did this, Ayano watched him with narrowed eyes.

"W-well I'm not against you or anything but isn't that a little offensive to your friends?" Tonpa asked her. "You also need to be hydrated for the Exam!" Ayano didn't respond. Instead she stared at him. Tonpa felt fidgety under her unblinking gaze; white milky eyes were really creepy! Especially when they were fixed on you!

She sloshed the can again. "I apologise if I'm being offensive to YOU Tonpa." She half-sneered, dropping the honourifics. "But I don't need a can of soda to show my loyalty to my friends." She glanced at Gon, Kurapika and Leorio. "My dedication to them will be enough. Besides," she added while sloshing the juice once more. "It doesn't sound right."

"E-eh?" Everyone mumbled. Ayano sighed, almost rolling her eyes. Then she remembered that they didn't know of her Sixth Sense. "I mean," she pressed. "The soda is sluggish. It sounds like somethings contaminated it." She shook it again and frowned. "And the weight is off. Is soda supposed to be this heavy?"

"Oh!" Gon chirped. "I get it!" He turned to Kurapika, Leorio and Tonpa. "Ayano has amazing hearing!" He explained to them with shining eyes. "She could hear everyone breathing down here. That's how she knew where the Exam was!" Kurapika and Leorio looked at her in amazement. Ayano felt shy and she ducked her head.

Gon sipped the drink to see if Ayano was correct. Suddenly it poured out of his mouth like a waterfall. "Bleeeeeh. Yup! Ayano-chan was right about it tasting weird. Is this soda out of date Tonpa-san?" He asked. All eyes were on Tonpa and he turned blue.

"I-I don't know!" He stammered. "I'm so sorry! I had no idea it was spoiled!" Everyone poured their drinks onto the ground. Ayano breathed the drink in and let it fill her nose. Familiarity made her lips curl into a frown; Laxatives. She was all too familiar with laxatives. In fact, her sisters forced it into her numerous times out of jealous rage.

"Spoiled." She whispered. Looks like Tonpa's true colours came through. He was spoiled! Just like Hisoka, her sisters, her Father and herself. All of them were spoiled. The only difference between them and Ayano was that she wanted to change. Pouring the soda onto the ground, she glanced at the boys.

All three of them were chatting warmly amongst themselves. It was obvious that they were close. Ayano felt a twinge of nervous jealously. She desperately wanted what they had! The feeling of mutual fondness for another and the knowledge that you had a good friend by your side. But she knew that it would take more than a miracle to become their friend.

Still, a protective feeling erupted in her chest. She really liked these boys, even though she hardly knew them. They had been kind to her so far. And Tonpa had tried to poison them! Ayano gritted her teeth. No way was she going to let him near the boys. Over her dead body! She had lost companions to bad people before and she wasn't going to have it happen again. Ayano carved this commitment into her mind as she watched them converse together.

A few moments later, The 287th Hunter Exam began.


	4. Meeting X A X Monster

ᴡᴇ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ sᴇᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɢʜᴏsᴛs

ᴡᴇ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡᴇ'ᴠᴇ ʟᴏsᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ

ᴄʜɪʟᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ғᴇᴀʀ, ᴀ sɪʟᴇɴᴛ ᴘʟᴇᴀ

ʏᴏᴜʀᴇ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴍᴇ

ʏᴏᴜʀᴇ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴍᴇ

ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ.

-ᴘ #1-

There is an old teaching taught by Un Valley Elders. 'When people gather together the monsters seek their kin. Most often they will not find each other, for they have mastered the art of appearing human.' This is a morbid saying and many tourists tended to avoid the Colosseums for this reason.

After all, vacation is for the ones who can't handle the pain life has to offer. Nobody wants to hear such queer and adverse words! Especially on holidays! Not only that, but who would want the truth shoved in their face? Human's are a prideful race; they will become extremely violent and cruel if their opinion is ridiculed. Who would want to know about the monsters of our world, hidden away beneath human flesh to fester and ache? "Let the monsters wander!" A snarky tourist would shout. "Why would you want them to meet anyways, they would cause destruction!"

But who are humans to judge a monster? How is a monster created? Monsters are ugly creatures that are the pinnacle of fear, angst and dark thoughts. They desire nothing but retribution and claim. That's what a monster is.

Or are they? Maybe a monster is a shell of a human, mutilated and sucked clean of their light by others. In desperation they seek comfort only to be met with an onslaught of hatred and malevolence at their form. So they search for their own kind while hiding their broken selves like a treasure, hoping to be accepted and welcomed.

Tell me the truth. Who are the real monsters of this world?

"I am Satotz, The Phase One Examiner. You must follow me to Phase Two. This is The Exam's First Phase."

The 300 Exam Takers were packed together like sardines as they followed a purple-haired man down the tunnel. Since the five boys (and girl) were at the back, it was hard to see his appearance. But Gon had informed them he that he was mouth-less. Ayano guessed that he had keen eyesight if he could see so well in the dark.

The sound of hundreds of feet hitting earth filled the small space as they raced after Satotz. The Exam Takers bumped one another as they crowded together. This stimulated more tension; being jostled side to side knowing that you were taking a Exam that could kill you created a tense, agitated atmosphere. The smell of sweat and body odour didn't help.

This filled Ayano's head as they ran for the next two hours. It was monotonous, really. She had run all the way from Kakuse Island. She could handle this! To entertain herself she activated her Sixth Sense. At once the noises became crisper. The sound of breathing, cursing, sweat and feet created a boisterous rhythm and she began to think of melodies that could accompany it.

Two hours.

Two whole hours of non-stop running and they had gained thirty kilometres from the start. Several people had dropped out already, their faces contorted as they heaved for air. Ayano didn't find their failure amusing though some did. It was hard work, The Hunter's Exam. It wasn't meant for wannabes or the faint of heart. Many had to train from childhood in order to pass! Nobody had a clue as to how long they had to run. It was tense, difficult and uncomfortable.

'It's a test of endurance as well as mental health,' She concluded. 'The Examinee's have to endure long distance running as well as the strain of not knowing when it's going to end.' Ayano found herself running along side Gon.

The duo's feet were in sync as they jogged down the tunnel. Gon looked at her from the side and smiled, his big brown eyes sparkling. He seemed to be enjoying the run and Ayano found this strangely encouraging! There was no talk between them lest they wasted their breath. But it was a light-hearted atmosphere between the two that filled the silence.

Unfortunately the silence was shattered by a shrill grumpy voice. "Hey! Wait up, kid!" Leorio hollered. Heads turned and embarrassed eye rolls were exchanged as people tried to ignore his yelling. "You should show The Hunter Exam some respect!" He ranted. Ayano looked up to see Leorio in front of them, but she turned away. She didn't want to see what the embarrassing man was up to.

"Hm? What do you mean?" A boy's voice responded. It sounded innocently vacant.

"Why are you using a skateboard?!" Leorio raged. "That's CHEATING!"

"Why?" The boyish voice asked again, all the more vacant sounding. "Why you...this is a Endurance Test!" Leorio's voice became deeper and Ayano knew that the boy was in for a rough one. Oddly enough he didn't seem fazed by Leorio.

Suddenly Gon piped up next to her. "No, it isn't." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Ayano sweat-dropped. She was pretty sure that Gon was wrong this time. After all, they were RUNNING. For a very long TIME.

RUNNING and TIME meant ENDURANCE. Hello?

Leorio seemed just as baffled. He tripped on his own feet in a fit of rage. "Huh?! Gon, what are you trying to say?" He was so worked up that his words came out strangled and high-pitched.

Gon stared vacantly at him with wide brown eyes. "The Examiner told us to follow him." He explained. Leorio's eyes bugged out of his head and tick marks were everywhere. "WHO'S SIDE ARE YOU ON, EH?!" He hollered. Ayano winced. What a child! Even her sister Mei, the spoiled brat of the family, wasn't as bad as this.

The sound of wheels against gravel made Ayano look up and she came face to face with a pair of eyes. They were chips of crystalline ice, sharp and cat-like. Similar to Kurapika's, Ayano observed, though they held the innocence of a child. This was framed by messy snow-White hair. "Eh?" She mumbled. The eyes barely glanced at her and turned to look at Gon.

The world seemed to collect its breath and that's when she heard it. At least, she thought she did. The sound of two souls letting out a stuttering breath as they observed each other. Ayano glanced in between the boy and Gon. What was this feeling? She felt like two puzzle pieces had linked together in front of her. It was obvious to her now; these two were destined to meet.

"Hey, how old are you?"

"I'm twelve years old."

The boy hummed to himself, his large blue eyes blinking curiously. He seemed to be thinking hard about this information and Gon smiled at him. "Huh?" He asked the boy.

The boy's persona changed. Instead of vacant innocence a confident smirk appeared on his lips. With a careless sigh he flipped his skateboard into the air and landed hard on his feet, catching the board in one hand. "Guess I'll run too." He replied with an air of 'whatever'. Gon gasped with delight at his trick and the spark in his eyes burned.

"Wow!" He cheered enthusiastically. "That was so cool!" The boy didn't respond to the compliment.

"I'm Killua." He introduced.

"I'm Gon." Gon replied with a smile. The duo began to run in step together and suddenly a wall slid up between Ayano and Gon. It was so sudden that she felt her heart constrict. What was going on? A tangible force, unseen but felt, told her that she couldn't get closer to Gon.

'Don't you see?' A pitiful voice echoed. 'These two are going to move mountains together. But I'm afraid you can't have what they have.'

'They were meant to be friends.'

A mournful sigh escaped Ayano's lips. She could see it. The world had stopped just for these two. She wasn't going to ruin The Rhythm of Fate. She turned her head to observe the new addition to the group. Killua was the same height as Gon and probably the same age. But they were complete opposites; while Gon reminded her of the warm sun-kissed hills of Un Valley, Killua reminded her of the frigid Ice Island's to the South.

Killua has spiky, silver-white hair, pale skin and gleaming blue eyes. He was lean and thin. He looked pretty fast too. He wore a long-sleeved cobalt turtleneck with a white t-shirt over it. Baggy periwinkle shorts billowed around his thighs while he ran with his maroon boots clicked against the ground.

Killua must have felt her gaze because he turned and glanced at her. Their eyes met; opal white and ice blue.

The world sighed wearily to itself, like it couldn't take the pain anymore. Both of their eyes widened so much that they seemed to pop out of their heads. Ayano felt a phrase run circles in her head and she held her breath. It was there. A tangible connection; the thin line that vibrated between them like a guitar string. The sound was mournful and full of unreleased rage and it was coming from both of them. They continued to stare at each other. Calculating, assessing the risks and wondering if it was worth it to ask. But the feeling wouldn't go away and both children knew it. They were similar. They were the same.

 **Hello**?

Ayano's opal eyes seemed to say.

 **Hello**.

Killua's eyes returned to their normal size, but they were filled with curiosity. "Hey, who's the girl?" He asked Gon. Gon seemed surprised by the question but was happy to oblige. "That's Ayano! She's really nice and has super cool hearing." He introduced. Killua hummed again and continued to stare at the girl. Ayano stared right back.

'I'm going to do it.' Ayano thought to herself. Killua seemed to be thinking the same thing.

 **Monster**? His eyes asked.

 **Monster**. She replied with an unwavering gaze.

And so the two monsters took off their masks and introduced themselves. "Nice to meet you, I'm Killua." He said, holding out a hand. Ayano took it firmly. "Pleasure is all mine. I'm Ayano." Gon watched both of them with warm brown eyes. He seemed happy that the two were talking.

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen."

"Oh. Really?"

"Yes. I'm older than the both of you."

"You could be our big sister, Ayano-chan!"

"Eh? I never agreed to that! And w-where did the 'chan' come from, that's informal!"

"I don't need another older sibling. I've got plenty at home."

Two more hours passed. They had travelled around sixty kilometres.

The trio stayed in rhythm with each other, small talk filling the space between them. Tension had subsided now that the mental strain was kicking in. They had already passed several men mumbling to themselves about failure with wide terrified eyes.

Failure is one of the main fears of man-kind.

Suddenly Gon slowed his jog. Both Killua and Ayano glanced at him as he stopped running and turned around around. Killua stopped too and Ayano obliged as well. The trio stared at Leorio, who was gasping like a fish out of water. He looked more like a monkey now! Ayano huffed in amusement and Killua smirked.

"Hey, forget him." Killua told Gon. "Let's get going." That didn't resonate well with Ayano. She was attached to Leorio even though he was a whiner.

"Wait." Ayano said, curling the word in her mouth. The one word made the White-haired boy glance at her in confusion. Gon continued to stare at Leorio patiently. Slowly, ever so slowly, the man gained his breath. He was sweating like a pig but he seemed more energised!

"Screw that..." He said hoarsely. The trio blinked at him; Gon with his vacant stare, Killua with a skeptical frown and Ayano with a grossed out sneer. She never liked sweat and Leorio was sweating rivers!

Suddenly Leorio took off. His legs and arms were moving at top speed and his teeth clenched in the most comical expression ever. Ayano couldn't help a small smile as he raced towards them while yelling at the top of his lungs. "IM GONNA BECOME A HUNTER!" He bellowed, steam coming out of her nostrils. "D**N IT ALLLLLLLL!"

He shot past them like a rocket with dust coming off of his shoes. The wind tossed the Trio's hair as Leorio ran hectically towards the rest of the crowd.

Gon had the goofiest smile on his face. Ayano realised that she was grinning too; a foreign thing for her. But none the less both of them watched Leorio run with the biggest, silliest grins! Gon laughed. Wielding his fishing rod like a samurai warrior he launched it over to Leorio's suitcase that had been dropped. It hooked on the handle and came whizzing through the darkness towards them. Both Ayano and Killua watched awe-struck as Gon caught it with one hand.

Killua and Ayano grinned. "Cool!" The both said at the same time.

All three took off after the other Examinee's, their smiles uncontrollable. Ayano didn't mind a bit that she was grinning like an idiot. It had been a while since she smiled. "Let me try that later!" Killua said. Gon laughed again. "If you let me try your skateboard, ok?" He asked. Ayano watched them warmly as they conversed.

It wasn't long before they reached the stairs. Without missing a beat the Trio tackled the steps, hopping up without breaking sweat. They had reached the eighty-kilometre mark! Suddenly the people in front of them gasped. Ayano craned her neck to see the distant figure of Satotz leaping up the stairs like a gazelle. The Examinee's began to call him a 'freak'. "This is ridiculous!" One of them shouted.

"Gon, wanna race to see who finishes first?" Killua asked the boy next to him. He didn't seem to be fazed that the pace was picking up. In fact, none of them seemed too worried. Ayano smirked.

"Sure." Gon said, then glanced over at Ayano. "Only if Ayano-chan can join!" Killua snorted at his demand. "Why would we leave her out? Oi, Ayano. You wanna join?" Even though it was silly, Ayano felt glad that they included her. "I'm game!" She replied.

"Loser gets to buy dinner!" Gon crowed. "Okay, your on!" Ayano and Killua jeered. Both of them grinned at each other. Seems like they were in sync today!

"Ready, GO!" The Trio shouted.

'No way am I gonna lose!' Ayano thought fiercely. 'I've been going easy this whole time. There's a reason why Father made be run around Kakuse Island every morning!' Exhilaration inspired her and her legs began to move faster. Both Gon and Killua watched dumbly as she sprinted up the stairs with ease. It was almost like she was Satotz himself. But the gap between the Examiner and the girl's strength was a considerable amount.

Killua's dumb expression turned into a smirk. He glanced at Gon, who giggled and nodded. "Alright!" They both yelled in unison as they raced ahead after Ayano. It was time to give it their all too!

Ayano had finally reached where everyone else was running. As she hurled up the stairs she bumped into Leorio and Kurapika. "Ah!" She winced. Then she gasped.

Leorio was shirtless, his tie swinging hectically around his neck. Sweat poured from his face as he ran purposefully up the stairs. Ayano reeled back in shock. "OI, put a shirt on, Grandpa!" She yelled. "Nobody wants to see that!"

Kurapika chuckled in amusement as Leorio turned around. His eyes bulged dramatically as spit flew from his mouth. "Shut up you living mushroom!" He bellowed. "I'm going to pass this Exam, even if my dignity is smashed to pieces!"

Forgetting who she was, Ayano whined. "But my eyes! They're burning out of their sockets!" She covered her face in her hands. "I can't look." She whispered dramatically.

Leorio stuttered, spit flying as he raged at her. "Don't say that! I'm not ugly, you know! Youre being really mean!"

"Oh sorry Grandad." Ayano felt a smile on her lips. "You're not ugly. You're hideous!"

Leorio fumed. "Shut up!" He hollered, ignoring the turning heads. "At least I don't look like some homeless raggamuffin!" Ayano squeaked, feeling her cheeks burn at the remark.

"R-raggamuffin?" She stuttered. "W-well listen here! It's not my fault that you're not in enough shape to tackle these stairs!" She huffed and tried to fight the blush on her cheeks. She always felt embarrassed when people talked about her appearance!

"Shape? Shape?!" Leorio's voice cracked. "I'M IN PERFECT SHAPE. IM ATTRACTIVE."

Ayano choked on air, then burst into hearty laughter. Both Kurapika and Leorio stared at her dumbly as she cackled away, clutching her stomach for support. "N-no your not!" She giggled. Her voice became playful and light-hearted as she continued. "Do I see any muscles? A six-pack? No. No I don't."

Kurapika seemed to be enjoying the argument because he joined in. "She has a point Leorio-san! Your physical appearance has no appeal whatsoever." He told the shirtless man. Steam came out of Leorio's ears while he stumbled over his words. Both Kurapika and Ayano chuckled together at the mutual teamwork, grinning like a couple of idiots! Looks like they both had something in common; knowing how to tick off Leorio!

"Whatever. You're too young to be interested in older men, let alone have a crush! How would you know what's attractive?" Leorio grumbled. "I'm running ahead. I can complete this Exam if I don't care what I look like!" Huffing and puffing, Leorio sprinted ahead. Kurapika watched him go with a curious smile on his face. Without warning he began to strip off his clothing, stuffing it into his bag. Ayano squeaked and covered her eyes out of habit and the blond glanced at her in amusement.

"It's alright, Ayano-chan!" He told her. "I am wearing a body suit underneath. There is no need for that reaction." The girl uncovered her eyes shyly. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment at her actions. Kurapika nodded at her before looking up at his friend. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have to ask him a question about his motives for the Exam." Ayano tilted her head curiously.

"I'll come too!" She replied. "I want to know why you've taken the Exam as well. If you don't mind, of course." She added hastily. Kurapika smiled and nodded, telling her that it was ok. The duo ran to catch up with Leorio. As they came in step with him the man glared at the two. Ignoring the hostility Kurapika began to drill him about his goal for the Exam; Money!

"Leorio!" Kurapika said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Are you really trying to become a Hunter for the money?" Both of them watched as Leorio turned his head away. "You aren't, right?" Kurapika persisted. "We've only been together for a few days, but I know you better than that." Ayano watched spellbound. A few days? No wonder they were all so close. It wasn't her being distant or anything (though that was contributing). It was the fact that they were well acquainted! 'Whatever these four boys have planned, I want in on it.' She thought to herself. 'Move mountains my butt. These four have a future ahead of them and I want to see the end!'

"Sure, you have a nasty attitude and you aren't very bright." Tick marks returned to Leorio's head and he shrieked when Kurapika said this. "But you aren't a shallow person!" The blond finished. Leorio glanced at him in shock. "I've seen many who live for money. You're nothing like them!"

To Ayano's surprise, Leorio made a 'tch' sound. "You and your logic..." He stated, returning to his huffing and puffing. Kurapika seemed taken aback slightly and he glanced at Ayano. She didn't know what to say. But it was obvious that Leorio was hiding something! If he wasn't going to share his reasons for taking the Exam, then Ayano was going to set the guidelines.

Sometimes the only way to make people open up is to share the pain inside of you.

The girl opened her mouth to speak when she glanced at Kurapika. His grey eyes were stone hard, like he had come to a conclusion. 'Let him talk.' She thought to herself. 'They're better friends after all'.

"Scarlet eyes. That's why the Kurta were targeted."

Ayano felt mournful heaviness settle around them at these words. It was a tangible emotion that made her teeth clack together anxiously. Leorio seemed to be affected by this because he gaped at Kurapika. Ayano stared up at the blond next to her in confusion. Kurta? Scarlet eyes? Targets?

Kurapika's voice grew monotonous as he continued, his grey eyes becoming harder with each syllable. "We Kurta are known for our unique Scarlet Eyes. When our emotions are heightened, our eyes turned scarlet, as though on fire. The eyes in that scarlet state are considered one of the seven most beautiful colours in the world. They command high prices on the Black Market." Kurapika's voice lulled to a painful whisper, his lips twisting into a sullen frown.

His words left a morbid bruise on their minds. Hunted and chased for your eyes? Ayano had never heard of such a thing. Leorio seemed humbled as well. "That's why The Phantom Troupe attacked you?" He asked.

No.

It took every fibre of her being not to scream bloody murder at the mention of that name.

 _The Phantom Troupe. The Phantom Troupe. The Phantom Troupe. The Phantom Troupe._

"They took every single eye from my brethren's corpses." Kurapika said without flinching. The blond then lowered his head. "I can still hear their darkened eyes crying out in anguish..." His voice grew so emotional that it wavered slightly and he clenched his fists in anger. "I swear I will capture The Phantom Troupe!" He vowed. "And I will reclaim the eyes of my clan!" Dark intent crept into his eyes as he spoke these words.

"That's why you want to be a Hunter?" Leorio asked.

"Yeah, if I become a Hunter with rich clients, I'll gain access to Black Market information." Kurapika explained coolly. Leorio sighed and shook his head. "But you'll have to swallow your pride and become the kind of Hunter you despise!"

"The blow to my pride is nothing," Kurapika replied, steel lacing his tone. "Measured against the suffering my clan endured." Leorio didn't respond to this, but his expression was troubled. Ayano looked away from Kurapika and bowed her head. She felt utterly guilty. Why?

'You know why.' She scolded herself. 'You know that you've had dealings with his enemy. There is no turning back once you taint your slate. Well done! You have lost the opportunity of a friend.'

Ayano heard Gon and Killua running behind her, but Leorio's next choice of words stopped her from glancing around. "Sorry, but I have no noble cause!" He said gruffly as he continued to sprint. Both Kurapika and Ayano frowned. "Huh?" Kurapika said.

"I'm just after money!" Leorio tried to end the conversation.

"Don't lie!" Snapped Kurapika, his grey eyes sharp with anger.

"I'm not lying!"

"You really believe you can buy everything with money?"

"You bet!" Leorio shouted angrily. "For the right price you can buy not only treasures, but dreams, hearts, and even people's lives!" Kurapika looked beside himself with fury and Ayano felt the same. Peoples lives? People weren't objects! They were living beings with emotions and dreams, not pawns to be pushed around! Kurapika stuttered. "Take that back, Leorio!" He ordered. "If you're insulting the Kurta, I won't forgive you!"

"Why? I'm telling the truth." Leorio's voice grew weary. "If I'd had money, my friend wouldn't have died!" That sentence flipped the conversation on its head. Kurapika and Ayano gasped softly. Leorio glared at the two of them and turned away, ignoring them completely.

Ayano heaved a shuddering breath. 'So much pain.' She wailed inside her head. 'So much of it. No more, I don't want them to feel this way.' Kurapika watched Leorio sullenly, grey eyes full of conflicting thoughts.

"An illness?" He finally asked. Ayano flinched and tried to stop herself from covering his mouth. What was he doing?

"I-it was a treatable disease..." Leorio's voice was no more than a murmur. "The problem was that the operation costs a fortune. I was naïve!" He raised his voice as he began to blame himself. "I thought I could become a doctor! I wanted to cure kids who have the same disease, and be able to tell them it was free of charge!"

Leorio huffed. "Then I could have told his parents, too. That was my dream..." Tears were coming to the man's eyes as he relived the pain of his childhood. "What a joke!" He scorned. "Turns out that to become a doctor, you need even more money!" He turned to look at them with fierce eyes. "Got it? The world runs on money, so I want money!"

Kurapika stared at him in shock. Then his gaze turned warm and sympathetic. Ayano felt empathy towards Leorio. Who had known? Who could have known? And to think that she thought of him as selfish and thoughtless about other people's pain when he had his own world of suffering! "See you at the goal, Ayano-chan! Kurapika!" Gon called to the duo. He had appeared suddenly along with Killua. The White-haired boy smirked up at Leorio. "Catch you later, old timer!" He jeered.

"I'm not OLD!" Leorio yelled, spit flying once more. "I'm a teenager just like you guys!"

The information hit everyone like a tonne of pounds.

"Huh?"

"No way!"

"What?!"

Gon, Killua and Ayano were far beyond everyone now. The steady rhyme of feet against stairs filled Ayano's head and she unconsciously hummed to the beat. The sound of Killua's wheels clacking in their bolts, the suitcase banging against Gon's back and the swishing of Ayano's trench coat against the floor created perfect opportunities to make a catchy tune.

"You know, I'm impressed that you guys can keep up with me." Killua stated calmly.

"Really?" Gon asked. He giggled and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, like it was a compliment. Killua shot him a weird look but decided to ignore it. "Who said you were setting the standards here?" Ayano taunted. Killua met her eyes challengingly, but she stuck out her tongue in response. She had enough angst for today! What was wrong with a little banter?

Killua sighed with boredom. "Or maybe it's just that everyone else is too slow." The sauciness in his voice was pretty legit. "Aw, The Hunter Exam is gonna be a breeze! That's no fun." He pouted slightly and Ayano had the urge to squish his cheeks. What was with her today? "Hey, why did you want to become a Hunter?" Gon asked curiously. Ayano tilted her head and stopped humming to listen.

Killua stopped pouting. "Me?" He asked. "I'm not really interested in becoming a Hunter." Both Gon and Ayano blinked vacantly. "Eh?" They said in unison.

Killua's blue eyes narrowed playfully. "I heard the Exam was supposed to be really hard so I thought it would be fun." He smirked. "But this is disappointing. Well, what about you?" He nodded at Gon and Ayano. Gon began to explain his reason as the Trio avoided the bodies of tired people on the steps. "Well, my Dad's a Hunter. So I want to become a Hunter like my Dad." Killua and Ayano hummed curiously.

"So what kind of Hunter is he?" Asked Killua

"I don't know!" Gon replied cheerfully.

Killua seemed startled, but burst into a fit of laughter. "That's kinda weird!" He said. "Really? You want to be like your Dad, but you don't know anything about him?" Gon shrugged. "I was raised by Mito-san, so I've only seen my Dad in pictures."

"Who's Mito-San?" Ayano spoke for the first time in a while. Gon looked at her with glowing brown eyes. "Aunt Mito!" He said cheerfully. "Oh." Killua said. He didn't seem to be impressed, but Ayano was. She didn't know if she had an Aunt. What was an Aunt anyways?

"When he was twelve, my Dad took the Hunter's Exam." Gon continued. "He passed and became a Hunter! Then he left the island." Gon let out a breathy laugh and shrugged. "I want to find out why he chose to be a Hunter over being with me!" Both Killua and Ayano frowned at this. It was a queer thing to be searching for his Dad! If she was in Gon's position, Ayano wouldn't bother. Her own Father treated her badly anyways. Why would she care?

Light from ahead cut through the darkness, landing on her face. It was dazzling to the eye and Ayano smiled openly. "The exit!" She cried. Both Gon and Killua looked up and smiled too. Everyone seemed relieved and began to cheer.

The Trio grinned in unison and launched up the stairs. Darting in between Examinee's, dodging flailing arms and ducking under legs, the three children giggled to themselves as they weaved their way towards the light. Exhilaration made Gon, Ayano and Killua taunt each other as they jogged up the stairs.

"Almost there!" Gon crowed as the light grew. Ayano laughed and darted past Killua, who whined and tried to catch up. A couple more steps and-

"GOAL!" All three shouted, bursting into open air. Laughter spilt from their mouths as they avoided the Examiner Satotz and landed in warm sunshine, their hair tossed in the fresh wind and eyes gleaming. Ayano couldn't stop her smiling. This was what she had missed out on in her life! All of it!

"Yay! I win!" Gon cheered, waving his fist in the air.

"What are you talking about! I was faster!" Killua whined angrily.

"NUH-uh! I crossed first!" Bragged Ayano, her cheeks puffed up.

"I was!"

"No, I was first!"

"No, I was!"

"I was first, so you have to buy me dinner!"

"No, I was first! So YOU buy dinner!"

"Guys guys, it's always ladies first! You both have to buy me dinner!"

"But I was fasteeeeer!"

Gon finally turned to the Examiner Satotz. "Hey, who crossed first?" He asked politely. Satotz cocked his head and stared at the Trio curiously. "I believe you crossed the finish line simultaneously." He answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "I see..." Gon pouted at this. "Well then! I'll buy Killua dinner, Killua buys Ayano dinner and Ayano-chan buys me dinner!" Ayano and Killua sweat-dropped at Gon's plan. "I don't get it." Killua mumbled. Ayano hummed in agreement. Gon looked back at Satotz. "Hey, Satotz-san." He asked again. "Is this where the Second Phase takes place?"

The purple-haired man seemed overwhelmed by the Trio. "Eh, no." He said. "We still have quite a way to go." Gon whined in frustration while Killua and Ayano giggled at him. A little while passed and soon most of the Examinee's were at the top, gasping like fish out of water. The Trio sat by the entrance to wait for the other two they had left behind. While they did this Ayano taught them a handshake, Gon taught them his special promise pinky and Killua did a few tricks on his skateboard!

Finally the two appeared; Leorio sweating profusely and Kurapika left breathless with the run.

"Hey, Kurapika!" Gon called. The blond looked over, panting. He waved at the Trio wearily. "Ah. Is this our destination?" He breathed slightly.

"No, it isn't!" Gon replied cheerfully. Kurapika sighed. "I see." The blond glanced around with keen eyes. "The fog is fading." He pointed out. The group of five all observed the mist seeping away into the ground. Ayano grinned. It reminded her of Un Valley in Mist Season.

"Really?" Gon shot up and stared about. Then he broke into a wide smile, breathy laughter coming from his lips. The mist was melting away to reveal a thick bushy forest! Shrubs and ground vegetation sprung around the tree trunks and the leafy tips were dark with moisture. Birds careened high above them in lazy circles, calling down to them. Ayano giggled and stood up as well, peering into the forest. It was certainly thick! And it stretched on for miles! The misty air was amazing to breathe and she gulped it down. There was nothing Ayano loved more then the taste of morning mist on her tongue!

"The Numere Wetlands. Also known as Swindlers Swamp." Satotz informed the group before him. "We must cross these Wetlands to reach Phase Two of the Exam. This place is home to many bizarre animals, many of them cunning, insatiable creatures who deceive humans and prey upon them."

Ayano felt shudders of excitement roll down her back at the mention of these dangers. This was exciting! She had never been to a swamp before. Keen to get going she tapped her foot impatiently. "Be careful!" Satotz told them all. "If you let them fool you, you're dead." At this, the door to the underground tunnel sold shut, trapping the Applicants who failed inside the tunnel.

"Harsh." Ayano mumbled. Kurapika nodded in agreement.

"These wetland creatures will use every trick in the book to fool their prey." Satotz continued unfazed. Everyone stared blankly at him. "An ecosystem in which creatures obtain their food by deceit. Hence the name Swindlers Swamp!" Satotz turned to face the forest in front of them. "Stay very close to me so you won't be deceived."

A shuddering breath rippled through the crowd and everyone looked at each other darkly. The only one who wasn't taking it seriously was Leorio. He 'tch'ed and smirked. "What a joke." He sneered. "How can they to fool us when we're expecting it?"

"DONT LET THEM FOOL YOU!" A terrified voice rose above the crowd.

Leorio rolled his eyes. "I just said that they can't." He grumbled. The group of applicants all turned to see a scruffy, beat up man crawl from a bush. "D-Don't fall for it..." He whimpered. The man's eyes bulged in his head, hysterical. Everyone leaned away from him in fear. Who was this guy? The man pointed a finger at Satotz and yelled. "He's lying to you! He's an imposter!" He jabbed a finger in his chest. "He isn't an Examiner. I'm the Examiner!"

Leorio looked stumped. "An imposter? What's going on?" Everyone was looking around in puzzlement. Curious murmurs filtered through the group as they shifted on their feet, nervous. Ayano didn't believe it for a second. Satotz had been with them the entire time! It was obvious that he was an Examiner! Besides he hadn't tried to eat the three of them earlier.

"Look at this!" The man cried. He tugged a corpse into the open and everyone reeled back in alarm. It was a hairy monkey man; but it looked exactly like Satotz! It had the moustache, the purple hair and the nose! The only difference was that it had a mouth. "He looks like Satotz-san!" Gon gasped.

"It's a man-faced ape, one of the creatures that dwell in Numere Wetlands!" The stranger explained to them. The name was carried through the crowd like ripples in a pond. Ayano felt anxious. It did look a lot like Satotz. But it couldn't be true!

"Man-faced apes love the taste of fresh human flesh. However, their limbs are long and they are quite weak!" The stranger continued. "That's why they disguise themselves as humans. They trick them into following them into these wetlands! There, they team up with the other animals to kill and devour them."

The stranger pointed a trembling finger at Satotz. "He intends to trap every single applicant!" He wailed.

Ayano was shocked at how quickly everyone turned on Satotz. Shouts of 'bastard' and 'freak' were heard from numerous people as they all took threatening steps towards the man. She was sure that Un Valley Elders had taught something about this before! But her mind went blank in the heat of the moment.

Then she heard it. The familiar sound of playing cards being drawn. Before she could blink, six cards came darting out of nowhere! Three cards smashed into the stranger; one in his chest, one in his neck and the other in his head. The other three shot towards Satotz. He caught them deftly with his fingers like it was nothing but a nuisance.

The stranger fell over with a sick thud. Ayano gaped at the corpse in surprise. He was dead! The sound of cards being shuffled made her whip around. Sweat beaded her forehead as she spotted the clown; Hisoka Marrow.

A chuckle escaped his smirking lips. "I see, I see," He cooed, lowering his voice. "That settles it." Hisoka opened his golden-clipped eyes and grinned wildly. Ayano felt shudders down her spin at the familiar smile. "You're the real one~" He told Satotz. Everyone turned to Satotz in surprise, another gasp rippling through the crowd. They seemed completely dumbfounded and Ayano was tempted to face palm herself.

Grown ups could be so silly sometimes!

"Examiner's are Hunters," Hisoka's smooth voice rose above the crowd. "Selected by the committee to perform this duty without pay. Any Hunter, bearing the title we seek, would have been able to block the attack." He finished with a purr.

Satotz dipped his head towards Hisoka in a formal gesture. "I shall take that as a compliment." He replied. "However, should you attack me again for any reason, I will report you for turning on an Examiner and you will immediately be disqualified." He cocked his head to the side. "Are we clear?"

Hisoka's smirk grew wider. "Sure~"

The crowd watched sullenly as large birds descended from the sky, devouring the corpse of the stranger. Leorio wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Nature really can be brutal to watch." Kurapika nodded. "So he was a Man-faced ape as well." The blond concluded.

Satotz got their attention once more. "He was attempting to confuse the applicants to lure some of them away." He walked forward and spoke a little more, but Ayano wasn't paying attention. "We cannot relax our guard!" Killua informed her and Gon. Both of them nodded. "Yeah."

"I believe that several of you were fooled into questioning my identity?" Satotz called over the crowd. Leorio rubbed the back of his head and cackled sheepishly, red tinting his cheeks. Another applicant that Ayano didn't recognise did the same. Satot turned around and stared hard at everyone. "Do you understand?" He told them. "If you loose sight of me in the Numere Wetland's fog, you will never reach the Exam's Second Phase. Do bear that in mind."

Silence greeted his words. Satotz nodded dutifully. "Then let us be on our way. Please follow me!" As the Applicants careened down the hill after Satotz, the Kakusean Teaching came back to Ayano. She jogged in between Kurapika and Killua while whispering the familiar words under her breath.

'Humanity will always fear what they don't understand. And what they don't understand becomes the victim of their brute fear. Humanity has destroyed itself many times by scorning their own kind. It is their greatest downfall.'


	5. Telling X a X Tale Part 1

This chapter is a filler. It does give insight on Ayano Kagami's past before everything went down hill, so bare with me. Thank you for all the support! You guys are the best :)

i don't own HunterXHunter but I do own Kakuse Island and everyone living on it (lol). Kakuse Island, as most of you know, doesn't exist in the anime or manga. This includes Ayano and her family as well as her friends!

thankyou again!

* * *

Am I doing well? I mean, as your story teller for this tale?

I know that it doesn't come off like it, but I'm insecure. Speaking can be difficult and I want you to enjoy the story to its full extent! I've listened to the Fabricator's and Chronicler's of Kakuse Island. I've sat in taverns and hid in the shadows while observing narrator's, bards and Yarn Spinner's.

It's all in the motion of your hands! It's the way your pronounce the words! How can you make the tale seem alive? Those are the questions and aims of a Story Teller.

It's been my dream to become Un Valley's greatest Wordsmith. My family has always respected my work! And this is the biggest story I have yet to share. No, I'm not one of those Fibber's who desperately create foolish stories. This story is real. All of it is real! And I have the honour of sharing it with you!

 _Huh! Says the one who's lying to the audience._

W-what?

 _You've got to be joking. You're seriously telling the story like this?_

Hold on. Who are you, exactly? I didn't see you come into the story!

 _Let's just say that I'm going to be replacing you. So shove off!_

Hey! Who gave you the authority-

 _Who gave you the authority to keep talking? Look. You're narrating this story all wrong. Who would want to hear you blab about the happy stuff? This story is tragic, violent and dark. There is no happy ending at the end of this book. I'm going to start from the beginning; the tale of the brown-haired Muse!_

But you're missing the point! There are happy things in this book too! You can't just blot them out like its nothing. Besides, I'm going to fall behind in the story! The next part of the tale is about how they run through the-

 _Look, Mr. Storyteller. You've explained how the heroine has suffered. But does the audience know of her childhood? No! Maybe you're nervous to talk about the gory bits. Maybe you're nervous to talk about your sister. but I'm not. I'll give them the side of the story they will never forget!_

Now hold on. I don't want to bring my little sister into-

 _Bye bye now!_

Lllll11ett g0 of M€€£¥%‰!1!1!1!1!1111111110101

 _Now, my lovely listeners! Let me make this clear. If you can't handle abuse or sadistic violence, this isn't your story. We don't want your smelly insides on the floor while I'm talking, it'll distract the others! I'm going to tell you the story the little Cherub Girl of Kakuse Island, the companion that she lost and the monsters that were inserted into her head. What's wrong, feeling upset? Don't tell me you're concerned about the wimp! You shouldn't get attached, it's not good for you. Alright alright, he's not dead. Take that frown right off your face cause I'm just getting started!_

 _Welcome to Ayano Kagami's Nightmare. Listen carefully, if you dare!_

Ayano never loved anyone more than Kale.

Everyday she heard the same words repeated over and over again. "Miss Ayano, Miss Ayano, Miss Ayano!" It was the curious chant that filled her head every time she sang on the corner of Sentaku Street. Eyes full of respect and humble politeness would trail her wherever she walked.

It was nice to have the attention! She got to know the village folk, although their relationship consisting mainly of dipping heads and carefully spoken words; nothing but small talk. But out of the million's of faces one caught her eye. And she loved Kale ever since.

Miss Ayano, Miss Ayano, Miss Ayano. Yes Miss. No Miss. Thank you Miss.

"Yano-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnn!"

Ayano loved that voice. She loved the way it spoke her name. Looking away from the woman she was talking to, the brown-haired girl raked her gaze over the crowd. Where did the voice come from? Where was her Kale?

"Kale!" She called. The valley wind, her gentle servant, swept her words into the air and dusted them over the people.

Two figures appeared in the crowd; two that drastically stood out to the young Muse. Both were walking slowly and looked through the waves of people. When they heard Ayano's voice, both of them whipped around. The smaller one gave a cry of delight and tried to run over to the girl. "Kale!" Ayano called again and rushed over. "Kale, don't exert yourself!"

The taller figure was holding Kale back. "Listen to Ayano-chan." He scolded the small girl. Kale was shuffling in his arms with a look of desperation. She wailed softly into his shirt, grabbing it with her stubbed fingers. Ayano reached the small girl and threw her arms open. "Kale!" She cheered.

Finally breaking free the small girl hurled herself at Ayano. "Yano-chan! Yano-chan!" She chirped over and over again. Both girls smothered each other in an embrace, laughter coating their bodies like an infectious disease. The brown-haired Muse was careful to avoid the twisted, pale legs of Kale as she picked her up and spun her around. Kale was a mistake. That's what the people whispered as she wobbled down the streets. Kale was nothing more than a birth gone wrong.

"Oh what a tragedy! Her Mother died before she could see her child!"

"It's a good thing she didn't. Just look at the ugly thing!"

"Her Father must be embarrassed to have such a creature in his house."

"I'm surprised he hasn't sold her off to the Workery. She may be lame, but it doesn't matter what state the workers are in!"

That was the title that Kale carried.

A mistake.

A tragedy.

A burden.

But did Ayano care? Of course not! Being scorned was apart of her daily agenda (not by the villagers of course) and she hated the way people stared at Kale!

Kale was a sickly child to begin with. Born with disfigured legs, her body was weak and fragile like porcelain glass. She was extraordinarily pale; the children of Un Valley were baked by the valley sun. Because of her condition she was forced to stay inside most of the time. When Kale wished to explore she shone like a beacon in the darkness when hobbling through The Town Square. This only drew more stares.

Her left leg was twisted in a strange manner; Kale's foot was disfigured and facing the opposite direction. The other leg was normal save for her foot. It was nothing more than a slab of flesh; she had no toes. Kale was also missing a pinky finger on her right hand. This of course deterred the girl from trying to carry out daily tasks. But despite her pathetic condition, she was bright and determined to do the same things every 'normal kid' did!

What troubled Ayano was the fact that nobody saw past the disfigurement. Everyone only saw Kale's lame feet and hands! This greatly frustrated the girl, for she adored Kale to the utmost extent. There was much more to pale, sickly Kale than people realised! Did nobody see the bright energetic smile that lit up Kale's face despite the gossip? Didn't they see her short blonde hair, soft and fluffy like the feathers of a baby duck curl around her face? Didn't they notice her large blue eyes and chubby cheeks?

So what if she was pale like churned cream? So what if she couldn't run and play like the other children? So what if she took forever to walk down the street?

Kale was more than that. She was a ball of bright sunshine that was determined to go through life doing the impossible!

Ayano loved it when the small girl curled into her arms. Her fluffy short blonde locks puffed around her face and tickled Ayano's cheeks. Her big blue eyes would glow with wonder and child-like curiosity. The determination in Kale's voice made her the most loveable little thing to walk Kakuse Island!

"Yano-chan!" Kale chirped. "Hans hans blease!" Ayano pulled away from the little girl and giggled. Oh, did I mention that Kale is partially deaf as well? Because of this, she had problems with speech. Most of the time nobody could understand her, so her family members taught her Sign-language at a young age. Being the clever five-year old that she was, Ayano had grabbed all of the books in her Father's Library about Sign-language in order to communicate with her friend.

"How is my little ducking today?" Ayano signed to Kale. The blonde giggled at the mention of her nickname, her fingers curling to form words. "Me and Onee-chan came to hear you sing!" Ayano felt warmth burn in her silver-lined heart. She looked at the second figure; Kale's big brother Hisao.

Hisao had fluffy blond hair like his little sister and cobalt blue eyes. He was well-tanned from the sun like the other Kakusean children and liked because of his long agile legs. He was good when it came to sports like Hush-Bush and Wolfskins; running and jumping were needed for these two games. Almost everyone wanted Hisao in their group when it came to Wolfskins! And because of his popularity, the children treated Kale well.

"Well, I've got a special song for both of you!" Ayano signed to the duo. Both siblings smiled widely. The Muse singing a special song for them? What a treat! Excited, Kale placed a stubby hand on Ayano's throat and pressed gently. It felt slightly uncomfortable for the five-year old Prodigy but she knew that it was the only way her friend could hear. Kale had a never ending thirst for music! And since she couldn't hear very well, she got her fix in other ways; feeling the vibrations through the air!

"Sing blease!" Kale's mouth struggled with the right pronunciation. Her baby blue eyes glowed with unseen energy as she gazed up at Ayano. The brunette grinned from ear-to-ear and began to sing for her best friend. When the words emptied from her mouth and into the air, the people stopped and stared. Ayano's voice was fresh water cascading over clear-stone diamonds, cool and sweet, refreshing! The sound left it's melancholy touch on the passer-by's soul before drifting on to the next victim.

 _Up on a hill, somewhere near the sea,_

 _Sit three little birds in a waxen tree_

 _A bluebird, a thrush, a chickadee_

 _Three little birds in a waxen tree_

 _Three little birds, feather wings free,_

 _Singing at the top of a waxen tree_

 _A chirp, a tweet, a chip-chip chee_

 _Three little birds in a waxen tree_

A small group had gathered around the trio, curiously murmuring to themselves as they listened. The soft words hit some so hard that they gazed into space, losing themselves to their minds and hearts. Kale's bright blue eyes never left Ayano's green ones as she mouthed along to the ballad. Hisao grinned, his dark eyes glittered fondly at his little sister.

Ayano leaned closer to Kale, ignoring the jab at her throat. "You know the rest, don't you?" She signed. Kale let out a huff of laughter. Of course she knew the rest! Letting her hand fall from Ayano's throat she clasped her hands together and belted out the rest. The ballad changed; from cool sweet memories to a hearty jig that got everyone dancing!

 _Chip-chip chee,_

 _Thrum, tip, three_

 _Singing in their nest in the waxen tree!_

 _Singing hum away-o, hum away-o_

 _Sing with me_

 _Hum away-O Hum away-O_

 _Waxen tree!_

Despite Kale's struggle to grasp the tune, her voice was rich for a young girl! Ayano helped her along by singing with her, grasping her hands and twirling her as much as the lame legs could allow. The ditty rippled through the crowd as people began to tap their feet and sway. Warmth was shared between glances and soon people began to sing along. Kale laughed and pulled Hisao along with her. "Dance now!" She cheered. For the most confident boy in the Valley he seemed absolutely flustered! But he obliged to his sister's wishes; who could deny little Kale?

Ayano, Kale and Hisao.

Hisao, Kale and Ayano.

These two children, the lame and the ordinary, were Ayano's everything! She did her best to visit whenever her family would allow. With fond eyes watched as Kale pursued a musical life through violin. Hisao invited the brunette to played roughly with his group of friends. She was there when Kale broke down crying about her condition, asking if she was ever going to be beautiful. She was Hisao's comfort when one of his friends left the Island to never return.

Their Father would welcome Ayano into his home like she was his own daughter; Ayano wished for nothing more than just that! What a dream that would be! It seemed like heaven just to be amongst their family. What would it be like if she shared their home forever?

When Hisao told her of his strange obsession of complex words, Ayano was delighted. At first he was shocked by her enthusiasm. "You're a Music Hunter's daughter!" He stumbled over his words. "What is so exciting about wordsmithing to you?" The brunette grinned cheekily at him. "Words are apart of music too you know! It gives the artist a chance to voice the song!" She told him.

At one point, Kale declared that she was going to become the world's greatest violinist. "I'm going to learn Javvanese and travel to all the important places!" She hand-signed to her two friends. "And play for the fancy folks too! Then I'll become rich and popular like Ayano-chan!"

Hisao tousled Kale's duckling fluff before signing, "You'll have to practice lots before you become as good as Ayano-chan. You should ask her for advice!" Both siblings cocked their heads at the brunette, who flushed at the attention.

"Well, I know multiple instruments," she signed hesitantly. "I can play the piano, flute, harp, violin, chello, lute, guitar and the trumpet. I can also sing notes G7# to G#10 in Soprano. Though I've never tried to go beyond that." Hisao's mouth dropped and his fingers fumbled to speak. "That's not possible! It's...it's not human! Are you sure you can do that, Ayano-chan?"

Let's just say she proved that she could; by making a dog howl in agony several houses away and birds fly in circles above their house. The sound of glass in the kitchen shattering made Hisao jump in surprise! Kale's chubby cheeks were stretched to their limit and she giggled. "Ayano-chan is amazing! I can't believe she can do such a thing!" She signed. "You're only five too! How did you learn to do that?"

Ayano hesitated once more, before signing, "Practice. Nothing but practice!" She was telling the truth! At least, some of the truth.

 _Can you hear the bluebird's rich little tune,_

 _echoing over the cornstarch dunes?_

 _Can you hear the Thrush's fleeting cheep,_

 _Sharp and choppy like the storm at sea?_

 _And don't forget the chip-chip chee_

 _Of our good yellow friend, the Chickadee!_

The young Prodigy would arrive home after the normal dinner time. The sun, after a long day blazing in the sky, would sink low and bathe the valley in purples and oranges. But a big, brash mansion prevented the sun's dying glow from falling on Ayano as she walked in her home's shadow. The Kagami Estate!

Everything was perfect; from the cut lawn to the decorative shrubberies, to the beautifully crafted ebony-wood doors to the soft creme paint coating the house. The mansion was boldly soft and contrasted well with the rural atmosphere of Un Valley. How proud Ayano must be to live in such a fashionable, comfortable home! She should be pleased with all of it!

But the sight of this well-praised architecture never brought the girl any comfort. She walked down the road (made with delicate stones in spiralling patterns) past the soft grassy lawns and the intricately cut shrubs of fae and mythical beasts to the great front doors. The doors were laced with gold and silver and these metals pooled across the ebony wood gracefully. Each time she stood there in front of those doors, she changed.

The light of carefree innocence vanished from her eyes. At once her body reacted; eyes grew dark with loneliness, childish mirth flickering from her gaze. Her shoulders slumped and she seemed to shrink into herself.

Because behind those intricately crafted doors lay her six older sisters; the Six Scourge's of her so called 'home'. Ayano knew the cold treatment she was going to receive when she walked through those doors. But it was either this, or face punishment from Father later on! The five-year let out a shuddering breath to release some of her sadness before opening the large ebony doors.

Yes, Ayano Kagami was the youngest in her family! When she was amongst the people she ruled her own actions. But when it came to The Kagami Estate, her six older sisters reigned supreme! And little Ayano couldn't do a thing about it. She knew they all disliked her. Father didn't seem to care what they did to each other, as long as they didn't do anything drastic. But that didn't stop them from doing treating each other terribly.

And Ayano seemed to be their favourite victim for emotional torment!

As the young Muse walked through the large front-room of her house she began to imagine things. Her sisters whispering horrible things about her, the cold looks and sneers they delivered whenever she walked past and the cruel comments about her

friends. Trying to control her misery Ayano made for the large banister stairs. If she could make it to her room before any of them saw her, she would be safe from their mean words!

Better yet, she could go to her Father's Study! She could distract herself with explaining what she wanted for her birthday! She was turning six in three days and both Kale and Hisao wanted her to spend the day with them. The girl knew that Father wanted to throw a massive party (mainly a grown up one to show her off) but this year was going to be different. Ayano was sure of that!

"Oh look! If it isn't Father's little Prodigy!" The familiar sugar-coated voice of Mei caused the brunette to stop in her tracks. Dislike and misery flooded back into Ayano's veins as she glanced around to see the second-youngest of the family; Mei Kagami.

Mei was twelve years old. But I'm sure you know by now that age was no barrier to knowledge and wisdom for the Kagami Household! Mei was a thought-provoking, well developed young lady with many clever ideas. She knew of her clever slyness and she relished the whole business.

She 'exercised' this cleverness by using traps and snares (with words and emotions alone) to drag Ayano deep into the pits of despair and self-loathing. Of course, you would think that Mei was a bookworm. On the contrary, my dear listeners, she was a walking fashionista with the world on a silver platter!

Mei's appearance never took after Father. She had more of Mother in her, which was one of the main reasons why Ayano disliked her and hated herself. How could someone as cruel as Mei get the looks of their sweet Mother while little Ayano was stuck with their Father's genes?

Ash blond hair snaked down to her shoulders, framed by an aquamarine gaze. Her round face and soft cheeks made her look childishly mature, granting her the title 'Blooming Sun' by the locals. Mei's hair was cut to the latest fashion (she had over a thousand issues of YorkFashion lined in her room) and was wearing her favourite outfit; a soft dandelion shirt with a earthy green eight-block skirt and black slippers. Ayano didn't understand her adoration for the big city fashions; 'Pastel Vintage' was the latest trend apparently.

If Mei had already found her, the others were likely to join in soon. Chestnut bangs covered her forest green glare as Ayano made a move to go up the stairs. A high-pitched giggle was heard and Mei darted forward, tapping a manicured nail on her shoulder. "Aw, lil sis?" She cooed. "Where are you going? The others want to welcome you back home!" Suddenly two tall girls blocked Ayano's view. With a squeak (mainly of dismay) she stumbled backwards. Who could it possibly be? She looked up and felt dread coat her skin. Of course, the twins!

Chika and Anya stood tall against her, monotone face's peering down at the five-year old. Both adorned the same outfit and the same look; bored blue eyes that were dull and lifeless framed by light brown locks. It trailed lazily past their shoulders to their chest in soft braids, finished sweetly with two blue bows. The outfit consisted of average female Kakusean attire; beige homesteader dresses with aprons and grey slippers, the fabric made of soft wool and linens handcrafted by the best in Un Valley. The duo blinked in unison and leered down at Ayano.

"Welcome back home-" Chika stated.

"Ayano-chan dearest." Anya finished.

Both were fifteen years old, practically the middle children of the Kagami Family. They mostly kept to themselves and often wandered the mansion together. They had a strange obsession with guitar picks and acoustic strings; mainly electric guitars in general. You would think of them bland with the way they dressed! Ayano didn't like them much either. They weren't as bad as Mei when it came to mistreating her, but they were prone to hitting or pinching the little girl.

Ayano shuddered visibly. "Good A-afternoon, Onii-Sama." She stuttered while trying to look as insignificant and worthless as possible. An old trick in the book for Ayano; if she appeared small it would prevent their worst! Mei hummed lazily and picked at Ayano's clothes. "Really, Ayano-chan? You have a poor choice in clothing you know." She said. Her aqua eyes flitted up to the twins. "Ne, Chika-nii, Anya-nii? Should we give her some advice?" She asked brightly.

The monotone look in the twins eyes shifted. "Why not have-" Anya contemplated. "A bit of fun?" Chika finished coolly. It was almost like the Trio shared the same thought; three pairs of hands latched onto Ayano's dress and began to tear away the fabric.

Ayano yelled in astonishment as the dress was viciously ripped away, thread by thread. Mei giggled in delight as she tugged at the clothes. "What's wrong, lil sis?" She sang. "We just want to help you with your clothes!"

Ayano squealed as cold air hit her skin. Instantly she regretted making the noise; it would carry to the other siblings lurking in the house! Deciding to make a run for it without her dress, Ayano slipped past Chika and Anya and dashed towards the West Wing. But not before Anya raked her nails down the bare back of the five-year old.

The young Muse ran as fast as she could, her skin hot with embarrassment as she bolted through the mansion naked. How utterly humiliating! Hopefully she wouldn't run into-

"And now, please give it up for, Ayyyyaaaaaanooooo Kagamiiiiiiii!" Artificial shine blinded Ayano as a massive spot-light landed on her face. Oh no! Ayano covered her body the best she could but it was no use. An amused chuckle echoed around her followed by a soft sigh. "What's this? Our little star seems to have been striped of her shine!" Heat danced across Ayano's face as she tried to avoid the spot-light. She knew exactly who was behind this; Kyoto!

A lithe figure descended from the chandelier above and landed with a thud before Ayano. Dramatic lights of fluorescent pink and blue twinkled around her as a luscious cape was tossed. "Looks like The Little Prodigy is just a joke, folks!" The teen narrated to an unseen crowd. More lights and smoke appeared, all enunciating the nakedness of Ayano and the bold magnificence of Kyoto Kagami.

Kyoto Kagami was a eccentric seventeen year-old with too much time and a whole lot of money. She spent most of this time learned the arts and mysteries of stage lights, smoke machines, trap doors and all the rest of them. If you wanted a classy and bold entrance, Kyoto was the one to talk to! Due to her dramatic flair, the teen had completely changed her hair-colour. Instead of dirty blonde her hair was a bold russet and orange; her own handiwork after she declared that she was going to 'stand out' from her sisters. And, she was the only sibling with Heterochromia; a disease where both eyes are completely different colours! She proudly sported both her Mother's soft blue eyes and her Father's snake green ones.

Face paint was her latest obsession and Ayano knew why; Hisoka Marrow had had a major influence on Kyoto recently and the brunette didn't like it.

Kyoto leered from the neon lights and grinned at Ayano. "Well, let's give the girl some grace ladies and gentlemen!" With a wave of her hands coloured smoke began to pour from unseen machines. It coated Ayano's bare skin with its thick murky substance and she felt temporary relief. That is, until she realised that she was blinded by the smoke!

Anxious, the naked girl turned in circles. Where could Kyoto be? The faded lights and the smoke threw her senses into disarray as she stumbled around in confusion. Unfortunately, Ayano was too distracted to notice two figures slipping through the smoke towards her.

A pair of hands grabbed her wrists and tugged her backwards. The brunette squealed as a massive pair of headphones were shoved onto her ears. What was this? What was going on? Then the music began to blare at a incoherent level of noise and she shuddered in pain. Loud tortured screams and distorted sounds rocked through Ayano's head as she desperately tried to claw the headphones off. The noise was deafening! She recognised the music and an inkling of fear pooled in her veins.

This was Tsubasa's music.

Tsubasa Kagami was the second eldest of the family; eighteen years old and exhausted of living in the mansion! She took the dramatic route years ago (to the disapproval of their Father) and had gone through what the paper's called an 'Emo' stage. Ayano had looked up to her because of her cool personality but that all changed when Tsubasa joined in on the 'game'. Ripping the headphones away Ayano tossed them in a random direction. A snarl was heard and suddenly pale hands grasped the pair of headphones. The brunette gasped! Where had Tsubasa come from? Something kicked her in the stomach and the Prodigy fell flat on her butt. She struggled momentarily before leather-studded boots pinned her down roughly.

Ghostly blue eyes framed by eyeliner and mascara glared down at the five-year old, accompanied by a feral glower. "What have I told you about handling my headphones, squirt?" Tsubasa sneered while pressing her foot further into Ayano's bare stomach. Tsubasa's short choppy hair had strips of blue dye and beads woven into the locks. They made soft clinking sounds as she shook her head in disgust. Ayano squirmed under her boot as tears pricked her eyes. "I-I'm so sorry, Onii-Sama!" She cried. "It h-hurt so much!" Tsubasa leaned more into her foot and the five-year old whimpered in pain.

"This'll teach ya, you little brat!" The teenage girl snarled. Grabbed Ayano by her hair she began to drag her across the floor to who knows where. Ayano closed her pale green eyes and prayed to every deity, God and spirit that Tsubasa wasn't taking her to the eldest sister. She jinxed herself. Of course!

With a final kick at Ayano's bare form, the emo spat on her before stomping off to another part of the Mansion. The five-year old lay curled up on the floor and clawed feebly at the carpet in an attempt to dig herself a hole and hide. Tremor after tremor of shivers wracked her tiny body as she attempted to calm herself. Breathe. Just breathe!

"Welcome home."

Ayano finally registered her surroundings and her heart plummeted. Of course. Feeling at her utmost low, she drew her limbs closer to herself and sat up to stare at the eldest sister of the Kagami Household.

They were in a massive glass dome that her Father had dubbed 'The Fowlery'. This room was for the entertainment of the eldest, who adored birds to the point of obsession. It was a quiet obsession. But the room was filled with the rustling of feathers and the clacking of beaks as a hundred birds sat roosting in the tree's.

Hisano Kagami stood tall against the faint sunlight streaming through the window. She was an impressive sight; twenty-years old and a master in her own art. She had done nothing to change her appearance or stand out from her siblings, just like Ayano. Soft brown hair in a strict bun framed a mature face-line and forest green eyes, accompanied by a brown leather jacket and jeans. Hisano watched the five-year old cower on the ground with disinterest. On her hand was a leather glove and leash; a massive bird sat preening on her forearm and Ayano felt real fear. This wasn't going to end well for her and she knew it!

Hisano brushed a strand of brown hair to the side and fixed Ayano with a strict gaze. "You were out late today." She observed and gestured to the sinking sun behind her. Ayano couldn't take the tension anymore! With a wail of misery she burst into tears, her mouth curling unpleasantly as she cried. Hisano neither sneered nor looked away. Instead she walked closer to the humiliated five-year old.

After a moment Ayano looked up at her eldest sister. If she were the same age as Hisano, she would look something like the woman. But as pure luck would have it, she was fifteen years younger than her! "Onii-Sama." She whispered miserably. "P-please don't do anything! I don't want to play the 'game' anymore!" Hisano continued to watch her with blank green eyes. The massive bird stopped preening and fixed Ayano with fierce golden eyes before clacking its beak.

"Ayano." Hisano replied. Her voice commanded the five-year old to silence her sobbing. Ayano did as told and stared up at the woman with fearful eyes, her tiny fingers tugging at her own flesh in rising hysteria.

A faint smile creased Hisano's lips and she sighed. "You know I'm not like the others." She told the young child. Ayano clung to her every word in hopes of redemption from her fate, but she was let down. "But I'm afraid that I can't deny the jealously in my heart. Someday when you're older, you will thank me for this. But you are young now and you won't understand." Hisano raised her arm and the massive bird let out a fearsome shriek. "Now tell me. What type of bird is this?"

Ayano's throat convulsed in fear. "Myrthe Hawker." She whispered. Hisano smiled again and gestured for the young girl to continue. "I-it lifts its prey into the sky a-and drops it from a considerable height. It does this because its beak can't break through the bone to get to the bone meal. It needs to eat mush instead." Ayano finished sullenly.

Hisano stroked the periwinkle feathers of the massive bird. "Right you are." She complimented. "He has already eaten today so he isn't hungry. But," her forest eyes gleamed in what could be mistaken for dark humour. "You know that Myrthe Hawker's love to play with their prey!"

The hawk launched off her her arm and barrelled towards the small form of Ayano with a fierce cry. Large claws the size of daggers grasped her bare arms and dug deep into her flesh, causing the brunette to scream in pain as she was pulled upwards. The figure of her eldest sister became a speck as Ayano and the hawk sped into the air with the wind rustling its periwinkle feathers. Then the Myrthe Hawker released the five-year old and she plummeted to the ground. A scream tore from the Prodigy as the ground came closer and closer, until the anxious fear finally took its toll!

Ayano's eyes rolled to the back of her head as she fainted in mid air.

When Ayano finally came to, she was curled up on her bed spread in her room. The girl could tell that it was somewhere between one and two at night; the moon sliced through her curtains and left a extraterrestrial glow on her naked body. What had happened? The five-year old sat up and winced, at once noticing the vital spots that needed attention; she had numerous piercings on her arms from where Hisano's bird grabbed her. A burning sting told Ayano that Anya's nails had made their mark and the ache in her stomach told her that she was to expect bruising. Her throat hurt too! Ayano guessed that Kyoto's smoke had damaged her vocal cords to some extent.

"Why me?" The little girl whispered to herself in the dark, the taste of misery and fear finally creeping back into her mouth. "Why me?" Gently she removed herself from the bed spread and went to find a wet cloth. Someone had left a bowl of lukewarm water and a couple of paper towels; Hisano's generous kindness for her numerous wounds. Ayano's mouth curled unpleasantly. Yeah right! She began to dab her wounds softly, wincing as the warm water trickled into her gaping wounds. The girls had been kind enough to leave her face unscathed; Kale and Hisao would have interrogated Ayano to no end if she had bruises on her face! Keeping the family life secret was hard enough as it was!

When she finally wrapped the claw marks up (from the hawk and Ayna) she lay on her back and stared at the ceiling. Ayano was absolutely exhausted, lonely, sad, miserable and bitter. What made them hate her so? Yes, she had all of Father's attention but that was no reason to mistreat her right? Tears pricked her eyes and she began to cry. "Why is it like this?" She voiced her pain to no one in particular. "Onii-Sama is supposed to play with me, not hurt me!"

Humiliation is a terrible tragedy, it really is! Poor little Ayano. What a sad life she lived. Having to pretend like everything was perfect when in reality it was very lonely and sad! And because loneliness consumed her small heart every night she found herself talking to an imaginary saviour every night. Ayano liked to pretend that the thoughts in her head were, in reality, tiny people wanting to talk to her. It was a silly thing but when you're five and facing the impossible, her imagination was the only thing to distract her! So she talked to herself and let her thoughts respond.

"Why does it hurt so much?" Her weak voice filled her room. "Why does Father treat me differently?" Then her thoughts would respond.

 _It's obvious Ayano-chan! You have more strength than you realise. Father know's this and he's always been training you for something greater. Your big sisters failed where you have succeeded!_

"How do you know?" Ayano said aloud. The moon framed her small body as more tears trickled down her face. "I'm not strong. I can sing, I can play instruments and that's all! How is that strength?" The thoughts laughed at her like she was being silly.

 _I'm your strength. And as long as I'm around, you won't need to fear anything._

And so Ayano convinced herself of that every night. Laying in the dark with her sadness staining the sheets, she told herself that even if she had Kale and Hisao, she was the only one who could take care of herself. The little friend that she had lamented to in her head became her nightly routine. Little did she know, poor Ayano, that she wasn't talking to an imaginary friend. She was talking to a monster under the bed! She wouldn't learn until later just how pathetic she was!

Jeez, that was a mouthful. I'm going to take a quick break and get a drink of water before I tell you the rest. A narrator has to have a breather once in a while! Think it's sad now? Just watch. The story gets even worse! Heh, and you thought that the other's had a miserable past. But trust me, there is nothing sadder than tearing apart a young child's sanity!

Nothing!


	6. Telling X A X Tale Part 2

Warning: long chapter! This is also unedited (because I was so excited to get it out here! I'm going to regret it though XD) so please excuse all of the typos or awkward wording.

another Warning: the transitions between scene may be sudden and confusing, so please bear with me~ thank you!

* * *

 _Well guess who's back! That's right, your new narrator! I just finished my potty and snack break so I'm ready to get cracking on the rest of Ayano Kagami's past. This is my favourite bit; I love describing all the scenes cause they're super bloody and horrific! I hope you guys have an iron stomach because things are about to get messy. Literally! Huh? What's that?_

 _Oh. You're still wondering where the other guy went. Don't worry about him, you have a better narrator now! But I case you're wondering, he's slumped in the corner with a massive bump on his head; I'm pretty handy with glass bottles. He'll come to eventually. But it'll give me enough time to explain how Ayano changed from the brown-haired Muse of Kakuse Island to the runaway candy-haired teen. Remember, this isn't for the faint of heart!_

 _Hey you in the back. Yeah, I'm talking to you! Cover that kids ears when it gets all gory, won't ya? Better yet, kick the kid out. Like I said before we don't want anyone's insides on their outsides. Now. Are you ready? Grab a cold beer and sit your sorry hides down; it's time to wrap up the Tale of Ayano Kagami! Continue on, if you dare!_

Ayano didn't realise the monster was inside her head until five days after her birthday.

When the girl consoled to her Father about her Birthday the man had immediately scorned it, saying that he already had plans and they weren't to be trifled with. "It'll be apart of your training." He told her. "Turning six is an important occasion for my little Prodigy!"

Of course Ayano had expected this! But standing in his shadowed office in front of the massive oaken desk, she felt hopelessly small. Her Father was a handsome, dark man who demanded utmost perfection and he found 'friends' to be a waste of time. "Why waste hanging around people when you could train and practice?" His shadowy voice would echo. "It's hardly beneficial to have friends. They simply hold you back and tear you down."

The clearest memory of Her Father always seemed to be the same; a dark-haired man with a fair jaw and cat-green eyes standing behind a desk, the surface littered with papers and artefacts. He was one for professionalism and constantly wore a light grey suit with a blue tie tucked neatly away. Sometimes Ayano wondered if he wore the blue because of Mother.

The five-year old was called upon by Father in the grey hours of the day to 'train'. Most of the time she didn't remember her training. Father would demand that she 'meditate' and 'clear her mind'. Other times he's shove a pair of headphones (similar to Tsubasa's) on her head and play music. Ayano would black out immediately and not remember a thing afterwards.

Then Ayano would end up in her bedroom, with the moon ripping through the curtains and no idea of what occurred. It was strange! But little Ayano didn't question her Father's orders because he was Father. For the moments that she did understand (or remember) her training, he simply sat at his desk and ordered her to perform for him.

The day before her Birthday, Ayano was in His study. Father sat at his desk, cool and distant. His hands were folded neatly in front of him and all of his papers and artefacts were well organised. The clock behind him ticked slowly, softly. It was so quiet that Ayano could hear the bubbles from the massive fish tank in the corner. Barely moving his lips, Father delivered the first command of the day.

"Sing."

Without hesitation Ayano opened her mouth and sang. Father never gave inclination to what he wanted to hear. In fact, he held no interest in what she sang! It could be wordless; a complex melody that rose and fell like the valley winds in the spring. It could be a ballad; a sad mournful tale or a hearty jig. Ayano could mimick the sound of sea-spray on the rocks or the secret whispers of the grass if Father asked her to. She could also recite the most complex ditties at his command. But she wasn't allowed to stop at her own accord. Only when he raised hand was she to silence her ever-present tune and wait for the next command.

Nobody could sing the way Ayano could. It was her forte; the thing her soul understood more than anything else! She composed melodies from the bottom of heart, representing Kakuse Island with her cherub voice. She mimicked the sloping rolls of the Valley. She mimicked the hum of a butterflies wings. She mimicked the harmonies of The Town Square and its bustling activities! All with her own voice.

Oh, how Ayano Kagami would sing like a lark until her vocal cords bled! On many occasions this would happen; her spit would turn crimson after five hours and coat her lips with its stickiness! But she would continue on. Only Father had control over her voice. The man would lift his hand, cat-green eyes gleaming in the half-light as Ayano would scramble to clean her mouth. Father would allow her temporary relief from singing before the next command was issued.

"Play."

Any instrument in the room needed to be played, and Father had quite the collection! Wether it was the Grand Piano tucked away near the window or the guitar handing on the wall, Ayano had to play it. Again, Father never cared about what she played. As long as it was perfection! As long as it was fresh, new and unheard of! That was what he wanted.

Ayano's nimble fingers could drag your protesting heart out of its shell and play it rapturously! Like her voice, her hands knew exactly how to tempt and woo the mind; to make you feel happy. To turn the happiness into melancholic angst. And then back to unrelenting joy! Playing the emotions of people was child's play to her! It was one of her many talents. The piano, the lute, the drum, the flute, the trumpet, the chello, the violin, the guitar! She played them all and more, bringing them to their fullest potential!

Yes Father! No Father! I shall play until my hands are mutilated with scars and calluses, Father! And so, the Musical Prodigy would play until her fingers were covered in calluses and her hands were frozen in different playing positions. This was the life of Ayano Kagami; to train, to submit, to break.

And it was all she knew.

But tonight? The night before her sixth Birthday? Everything was about to change.

Ayano opened her eyes to the soft interior of her room. Exhaustion infected her mind like a drug and she fought for clarity, shifting through the thin fabric of her nightgown. How did she get in here? The curtains billowed gently against the window sill and the moon hung behind them. Immediately she knew two things. It was midnight and she had just finished training with Father!

The five-year old closed her eyes for a moment and rubbed her face sluggishly. Everything was surprisingly silent tonight; Her sisters would stay up late and fill the house with unbelievable noise! But something was off about the silence and Ayano couldn't pin it. Was it the fact that crickets weren't chirping away outside or that the nightjar's call wasn't drifting through her window? No.

Tomorrow was her Sixth Birthday! A rush of excitement made her sit up. She was going to be six soon. Tiny bubbles of jubilation bounced around her stomach and she giggled aloud at the thought! She was going to see Kale and Hisao and have a private day with them; just her two friends! Then her Father's voice echoed through her head. "I have plans for your Birthday, Ayano. It's all for the purpose of your training."

Ayano's happiness dulled. Right, of course. Father had 'plans' for her today.

Her miserable thoughts were interrupted by a thump from outside. Instantly Ayano jumped out of bed, her body on high alert! Quickly she glanced around her room before noticing a pair of scissors on her bedside table. She took them and clicked them a few times just to make sure they worked. They made a nice sharp sound! Good. It was a common thing for burglars and thieves to break into The Kagami Estate. They came because they were drawn by rumours; artefacts worth millions, the floor tiles embroidered with silver and the beautiful daughters of The Music Hunter! All promising to the untrained ear! And so men and woman would do their best to break into The Mansion's beautiful interior.

Shame that nobody notified them of the monsters lurking through its hallways!

As much as Ayano should be afraid, she was actually happy! This was the only time that The Kagami Daughters would work together without distain for each other. Ayano would pair up with the Twin's or Tsubasa to set traps and kill the thieves that broke in; all the while slipping in and out of the shadows as one! They never treated her badly then! They were a team! But the next morning everything would return to normal. Quiet as a mouse the young girl slipped out into the hallway. Everything was drenched in shadows and moonlight, making it look ethereal. Grasping the scissors in both hands she made a fierce yanking motion. The object snapped in two! Ayano grinned. Now she had weapons!

She never heard him coming. But she could never forget the smell of rubber closed around her mouth, or the stab of pain as a needle was injected. The five-year old dropped like a stone in the man's arms, her body frozen stiff. But her eyes rolled in her sockets fearfully! The man slung her tiny body over one shoulder before walking down the dark hallway towards the Unknown.

Ayano was greeted with bright blue lights as she was placed on a metal table. She was panicking; what the hell was going on? Who was this man? Everything was blurred and coated in chips of light, making it impossible to figure out the situation.

But then she heard laughter.

Dread flooded her veins and her body shook on impulse. She recognised that laughter! It meant no good for her, it was a sign of pain and suffering. It was Mei, the second youngest! The man continued to move around her, moving metal trays around the room and muttering to himself. Ayano felt like she was going to be sick! This couldn't be good for her, she needed to escape! Gritting her teeth the little girl tried to move her sluggish body but to no avail. She was completely and utterly exposed to this man and she couldn't do a thing about it.

"Ayano-chan is going to be so surprised, huh?" Mei's voice chirped out of view. Someone scoffed and another voice joined in. "I agree with Mei! This will be a show-stopper!" The five-year old recognised Kyoto and Tsubasa's trade-Mark voices; Tsubasa's scoff and Kyoto's stage reference. Ayano didn't have a clue as to what they were talking about; but the dark intent that swept through the room was unbearable.

Suddenly the man appeared at the opposite end of the table, right next to her legs. The drug had worn off slightly; the man's mouth was covered with a doctor's mask and his hair was neatly pulled back under a cap. A squeal was heard followed by, "It's starting! It's starting! Let's watch!" The man tightened the rubber gloves on his hands before rummaging around on a metal tray.

"Alright," his tone was grey. "Let's get this done. Oi, you two. Come hold her down." Rough hands pinned Ayano to the table and gripped her skin. Her stomach lurched; no no no! What was happening? Everything was going to be ok, wasn't it? This was a bad dream! Ayano feverishly tried to convince herself as she struggled against her two sisters.

But the real fear settled in when the man began to pry open her legs!

"No!" Ayano cried out. Something hit her in the face and another pair of hands pinned her legs down, spreading them apart. The man nodded to the unseen figure before tediously lifting up her nightgown to expose her lower half. "Hmmm..." He hummed. "Let's get started!" He pulled down her undergarments and that's when Ayano really began to struggle. She bucked her legs and thrashed around the the metal table, hissing, fighting, trying to prevent it. But there was no stopping it. It was Fate.

"Someone sedate her!" He yelled. A sharp sting pricked her leg and Ayano slowed her frantic struggle, swept away by the drug. Everything was a haze from that moment onwards; she never noticed the sharp tool slicing open her lower stomach, or the blood dripping off the man's gloves. She didn't heed the hands gripping her tiny body as the man inserted a small circle around her future. She didn't feel the sharp clamp of a ring inside of her like a vice.

The thing that makes a woman a woman stolen from Ayano by a different kind of thief. The young girl wouldn't learn about it until later, and she would beat her head over in grief when she learned the truth!

Mei's face loomed over her own, a large grin tainting her lips. "Sorry not sorry, Ayano-chan! It happens to the best of us I guess cause Tsubasa and Hisano had it done too!" Ayano didn't catch the rest because a wave of pain hit her like a sledgehammer. She doubled over and clawed at her lower stomach. "The drug is wearing off." Someone said. Then everything was dominated by a sick, excruciating pain.

Little Ayano knew she had lost something, but she didn't know what it was. The fact that she didn't know made the sick feeling worse! Ayano didn't leave the Kagami Estate the next day to visit Town Square. Kale and Hisao were far from her mind as she lay in her room festering away like a sore wound. Her lower body ached deeply to the point of intense nausea. She couldn't get out of bed without having a spell! The lonely misery that little Ayano held crawled around inside her heart, brushing against her soul and sanity as if to taunt her.

In this time, each of her sisters came by to 'grant their best wishes' for her birthday. Taunts, cruel jeers and laughter was Ayano's gift for her sixth birthday as she lay there in her aching state! Poor doll. Things couldn't get more dreadful! Oh, but you know how it goes ladies and gentlemen! On with the show, as Kyoto Kagami would say!

It was a week later when the monster inside her head made it's move.

Five-year old Ayano was far from looking human. In fact, she looked a little like the fourteen-year old Ayano of the future! Dark hanging circles bulged from beneath her eyes and her flesh was a sickly olive colour. Her once soft chestnut hair hung in greasy strands around her face. She resembled the living dead! Her sisters began to grant her this nickname.

And all the while Ayano talked with the imaginary friend in her head, telling it everything she felt. Confusion, maddening desperation, fear, lunatic theories. What had she lost? What had they taken? Why did she feel like a part of her was missing? "Please tell me, dear friend." Her heartbroken whisper echoed the lonely hours of the night. "I've never felt so alone!" The voice would respond with the same words; the same phrase like a broken record.

 _Look outside and dream of the stars, Ayano-chan. They are your answer!_

Ayano would follow its instructions in haste; she wanted a release from the pressure inside! So she would open her window frantically and gaze at the wide, diamond-speckled sky in hopes of the answer. Her olive skin would burn in their blue light as she bathed in the stars. But no answer came forth. And it's mystery plagued her like a disease! That is, until Kale appeared at her front door.

Ayano selfishly wished that Kale never existed. Why did those soft blue eyes and duckling feathered head love Ayano so much to the point of visiting her? It was her Sister's fault that Kale had been able to get inside so easily!

Ayano's misery deepened when Kale had tottered towards her on stump legs, accompanied by Mei and The Twins, gazing around in awe at the lavished place. The sickly brown-haired girl knew. She knew that this was the thing that would break her. She wanted to scream at Kale! Run, you foolish little duckling, run! Your end is here in this Mansion because of me!

"Kale, you've come to visit!" Ayano choked on the words but kept the smile of her face. Kale couldn't distinguish the words individually but she recognised the voice! Turning around she saw Ayano; her beloved, delightful Ayano with her soft brown hair and twinkling laugh and bright voice! Kale cried out in pure joy as she stumbled towards her good friend with stubbled hands reaching out.

Ayano welcomed her wearily; fearful of what Kale saw, fearful of those soft blue eyes seeing the darkness inside of her. Fearful that she would see the imaginary friend that knew more about Ayano than Kale did. Jealousy? Sweet Kale couldn't feel such a emotion!

Mei, Chika and Anya held themselves back. Out of pity or sadistic pleasure? Ayano never knew, and still doesn't to this day. Kale's tiny deformed hands wandered around Ayano's face and her mouth dropped. "Ayano-chan didn't visit us on her birthday!" She signed sadly. "Me and Onii-chan thought you had forgotten us, but now I know why! You're sick!"

Ayano let a faint smile ripple across her face. "Yes, I got very sick on my birthday." She signed back. "It's really bad Kale. I don't think I can go back to The Town Square again." Kale shook her head furiously and her golden locks bobbed. "It's ok, Ayano-chan! I've come to give you the presents that me and Onii-chan got you!" She signed gleefully.

She plopped two boxes into Ayano's callused hands. Ayano clutched them close to her chest and stared at them. To be honest, she had never gotten presents before! Not properly wrapped ones like this. For the first time in a week warmth crept back into her body at the gesture of her friends. "I'll open it in a moment!" Ayano signed to Kale. "I wish to talk more with you!" Kale's chubby cheeks turned pink at this and she giggled.

Then Mei stepped forwards and the warmth vanished. "Wait!" She signed desperately to Kale, her aquamarine eyes aglow. "I wish to ask a favour of Kale-chan!" Both Ayano and Kale gawked; the little duckling giggled delightedly while Ayano felt horror. How did Mei know about hand signing? Had all of her sisters known about Kale and Hisao? The damage that her sisters could do...

"Of course!" Kale signed back, her fingers fumbling in excitement at the prospect of another friend. "Anything for Ayano-chan's big sister!" Mei's dramatically large eyes narrowed darkly at this, a small sneer on her lips.

"Ayano has told us that you play the violin!" Mei signed slowly. "And quite well at that! The rest of Ayano's sisters have composed a musical piece for her but we think that it would be a real treat if you played it!" If Kale glowed before, she shone like a beacon now! Her face lit up and for a second it was like staring at the sun; a source of pure light and warmth that had Ayano longing for more.

"Yes!" Kale chirped out loud. She was so excited that she had to use her shaky voice to express her happiness. "Yes, I will!" Mei laughed and smiled. "Fantastic!" She shot a look at Ayano who returned the glare. Sniffing, the dirty blonde whipped around to face the Twins. "You, grab the music sheet! You, go and find a violin! There's one hanging over the mantle in the Living Room." She ordered briskly. The Twins dipped their heads and vanished, reappearing like ghosts with the items in question.

A music stand was set up for Kale and adjusted to her proper height. The music sheet, crisp and scented with dusty memories, was placed onto the stand. A small oaken violin was thrust into Kale's stubby hands before the Trio backed away. Mei smiled at her handy-work. "We will leave you guys alone now!" She signed cheerfully. "Make sure to tune the violin a bit, Kale-chan! It's a little rusty~" with that, the fashionista flounced off with the monotone twins in pursuit.

Kale laughed breathlessly before glancing at Ayano. "Sisther is real nise Yano-chan!" She voiced aloud, her mouth struggling with the words. Ayano smiled at her and did her best to hid fear. What was Mei going to do while Kale played the violin? Set a trap? Block the door and flood the room? She tasted hysteria on her tongue and deeply wished she could talk to her imaginary friend inside her head! As if hearing her plea, a voice whispered in the depths of her mind.

 _Ayano-chan. Meditate, just like your training sessions with Father._

Ayano frowned. What a strange thought! Where did Father come from, in the midst of her chaotic thinking?

 _Ayano-chan listen to me now. Do it before you regret it later!_

The five-year old sighed deeply, which was ignored by Kale as she began to tune the violin. The blonde pressed the instrument against her ear to hear the vibrations, noting each hum as she turned the knobs. "Couldn't hurt." Ayano whispered to the voice inside her head; the imaginary friend. Taking a deep breath of air she began to relax her body.

The brunette melded into her Meditation; it was such a common request from Father that performing it was easy! The familiarity of warmth coating her body and swirling around her made her worries fade slightly as she stood calmly in front of Kale. Maybe, just maybe, she was being paranoid. Mei couldn't possibly be planning something; she was bound to give Ayano a break!

"Yano-chan, finitsht!" Kale's bright voice made her open her eyes. Ayano felt much better! The familiar action was enough to bring her to a stable sense of mind and she smiled brightly at Kale. "Go ahead! I'm excited to hear you perform!" Ayano signed with her hands, keeping her calm meditation state. Kale beamed right back with glowing blue eyes before adjusting the violin against her chin. "The peece is called, Sonatcha of Dakness! Violin solo!" Kale stumbled over the large words the best she could before giggling at her clumsiness.

Ayano's skin flushed ice as the words entered her mind, causing her calm meditation state her vanish completely. Sonata of Darkness? No. No no no no. The words swirling and cascaded through her veins along with rumours; Sonata of Darkness composed by the King of the Underworld himself. Causing death and injury, torture and pain to the player and the listener.

Kale, sweet innocent Kale, wavered on her feet as she brought the bow up to the violin. Blinded by panic, weak with fear, Ayano crumpled to her knees and tried to force words of warning out of her mouth. Her throat was convulsed shut! She couldn't speak!

As Kale placed the bow against the string and slashed downward once, a horrendous scream shattered Ayano's skull. It wasn't her own mindless scream, it wasn't a blind shout from her own thoughts; it was foreignly similar to the voice of her imaginary friend that had accompanied her so many times in the night.

 _MEDITATE! MEDITATE YOU FOOL!_ The Voice roared through her body and in response, a flare of liquid heat coated Ayano's body. The events that occurred afterwards were something from a horror film.

The first thing was that Kale's violin began to melt; it was like hot wax burning into her soft skin, dripping over her body and patterning the floor with long gooey strands. Kale's expression was one of innocent pain. She had no idea what was happening or why it was happening! But it hurt!

The second thing was the sound itself; it was too much to describe! One could not describe the Sonata of Darkness in anyway without stating the facts. It was immorally unholy, the very sound a painfully corrupt sin. It ate away into the young children's ears and burned deeply into their hearts. It was the most shameful, appealing, cruel, lurid, disgusting, heinous piece that Ayano had ever listened to and to this day she had not heard something of this piece since.

It physically hurt to be in the room with the music! The pain, blistering hot and unforgiving, reaped Ayano's body brutally as she struggled on the ground and gasped like a fish. Her ears burned; it travelled deep inside her head and set alight to her mind. Her skin bubbled and spasmed as she lay there, screamed. Endlessly screaming!

But Kale. Soft, weak, innocent Kale was in a far worse place than she was. With no meditation to protect her from the affects of the music she was in the hands of The God of Darkness; and he desired nothing more to savage the innocent one's with pain and misery!

Kale's screams didn't sound like screams. They were shrill, tortured sounds! Like the sound of a bird shrieking as it collided with its enemies. It was inhuman and torturous. It was so violent, Kale's screams, that Ayano stopped her own wailing and watched with wide innocent eyes. She didn't notice that her Meditation was still taking place, the one thing that was protecting her from the devastating affects of The Sonata of Darkness!

Kale's flesh was boiling and bubbling like wax, pooling down her body like she was a candle. Her eyes bulged hideously as she screamed and rolled sound on the ground. Red, thick, pulsing lines began to grow and fester under her skin and around her head as Kale began to burn, burn, burn. The small duckling rolled so that she was staring at her best friend.

Ayano could never forget the look in Kale's blue eyes. They were wild and desperate, desperate for the coolness of water, of ice, of hope! They longed for Ayano with a painful desperation, glazed over with pain and suffering. Help me! Kale's small stubby hands reached for Ayano as her body was wracked with spasms. Help me, please!

The thick, pulsing red lines finally reached Kale's face and began to grow. Kale screamed. She screamed and screamed and Ayano desperately wanted to cover her ears! But then everything froze!

The screams hung in the air like a chandelier and the room fell silent. Kale was breathing heavily and clawing at the ground in a state of panic. "Yan-" she coughed up blood and shuddered. Ayano couldn't move. She couldn't think! Her sanity had been rattled to the point of hysteria and she crouched low to the ground in blind fear.

Then the large red tubes in Kale's skin pulsed. And the little girl's head exploded.

Blood. There was so much blood. It sluggishly moved across the floor in soft waves and lapped at Ayano's hands. The smell was lurid; salty and sickly. Kale's little body didn't look like a body anymore. Ayano, completely shattered, stared at her hands for a moment. They were dyed deeply with red. Everything was Red.

The smell of it was Red. The taste in her mouth was Red. The touch of the sticky substance was Red.

And Ayano began to scream Red as she rolled away from the body of her best friend. Tears streamed and her face contorted into a loud wail of anguish and fear! No. No! Ayano clawed at her skin, her face, her head. She ignored the boils and the high pitched ringing in her ears, the sting of her scalp and the pain in her eyes. Everything was a haze. Everything was gone! "Go away!" Ayano screamed loudly, making the windows on the house shudder. "Go away! Get out, get out, get out!" The Voice in her head continued to talk to her desperately but the six-year old wouldn't listen. She was too far gone to be brought back.

The next six months past in a blur of voices, fear and pain. Ayano was constantly in a state of pure delirium whenever she was awake. Her dreams were flooded with the same images; Kale's head erupting into a mass of blood and flesh, the screams, the voice. Some words stuck out to the young girl through her hysterical state.

"Your daughter is in remarkable condition, considering the trauma she's gone through." A voice complimented, studious and professional. "The Sterilising Operation was a success; the access path inside her uterus has been completely cut off! I'm not sure what happened to her eyes and hair, though. It seems that whatever trauma she had experienced has drastically manipulated the melanin gene inside her eyes and hair follicles!"

More voices melded and cascaded around her as Ayano drifted in and out of reality.

"She knows about the thing inside her head."

"She looks even more like a freak now!"

"More training; she needs to become stronger!"

"She'll never be the same again."

"Sterilising Operation; mainly used for woman who don't wish to have children! Such a young girl, I wonder what made her choose this Fate?"

In and out. Up and down. Ayano didn't care about it anymore. The days turned to weeks and months as she rose up and down and twisted her mind inside out. No questions were asked; she was numb. She never flinched when her Father ordered her to kill the Doctors and Psychiatrists. She surrendered her body to the whims of her sisters who enjoyed nothing more than tormenting her. Bury her alive! Feed her chemical concoctions! Make her run on broken glass! Crush her hope to escape!

"I'm not supposed to say sorry, Ayano." Hisano's voice echoed eerily in her mind. "It's always been Father. Father's orders to do all of this. Please don't think badly of us."

And every day Ayano would robotically go through the motions, taking whatever came at her. Training, abuse, guilt, hatred, the commands the spiteful cruelty. "Father's orders. He always knew about Kale and Hisao!" Mei would giggle, kicking Ayano repeatedly while she lay there, blank and still. The Voice In Her Head would accompany her thoughts at night. Ayano knew, somehow in the midst of her madness, that it wasn't her. The Voice was a being that they had created; Multiple Personality Disorder is what the Doctors had called it, giving it a professional and controlled name. A form of pure insanity!

Was Ayano crazy? Hearing voices inside her head? Yes. She had excepted this a long time ago. But she hated The Voice deeply; if The Voice could save her, then why didn't it save Kale? Her own thoughts would answer, 'your fault your fault! You worthless creature!'

 _The stars are your companions, Ayano-chan. Listen to their song._

The night air would bring the storm inside to a calm lull. The stars, so wildly scattered in the deep blue, so gentle and tiny, would drown Ayano in memories of bittersweetness. She hated the stars. She loved the stars. She needed the stars.

They were so far away! They didn't have to live with the guilt of murder, of submission. They were alone and blazing together at the same time! They symbolised memories, tragedies and cold beauty. "Please take me away from here." Ayano would whisper, in rare moments of the night. "Please. I want to be far away, just like you." The stars twinkled with laughter, but never granted her wish.

Eight years. Eight years of mourning, regretting, numb with the decision that living was torture. Eight years of wandering aimlessly and never leaving the Kagami Estate.

Ayano's desire to break free didn't wake for eight whole years. That is, until five days after her fourteenth Birthday!

The young teen sat in her room with her back facing the door. It was midnight; the Mansion was full of dark shadows that Ayano had befriended. But inside her room, everything was soaked in starlight! Crudely cut stars plastered the walls and pictures of birds hung around the star-burnt bedroom of the Young Muse. A mass of music sheets filled with half written melodies coated her floor like snow. Her obsession with stars, birds and music had grown over the years.

Pale, milky white eyes stared lifelessly up at the sky outside her window. Her dull, purple coloured locks hung in knots and tangles. Her body was abused with open sores, wounds, burns and smudges of dirt and debris; she had abandoned taking care of herself years ago!

"Hello." She murmured tonelessly to a lone star outside her room. "Where are your kin? Are they shy tonight?" The lone star glittered coolly and the Muse blinked. "Of course." She replied. "It's alright. I would hate to shine on Kakuse Island as well." Ayano rubbed her eyes, ignoring the massive bags and the grease of her unclean skin. She didn't want to move. She didn't want to breathe. What was a girl to do, lost in her loneliness?

 _Ayano-chan._

A half-hearted sneer curled her lips. "Monster." Her tone was filled with the breath of life, but drowned in hatred. "Get out of here." The Voice was talking again, trying to fill her mind with nonsense. It was the spawn of her Father; he had placed The Voice in there to watch over her!

 _Ayano-chan. Please! I'm your best friend! Listen to me!_

"Liar!" Ayano snarled. She grabbed her sheets and began to knead them between her hands, her wild opal eyes twitching insanely. "Liar! You killed Kale!" A soft sigh echoed through her mind, like leaves tossed in the wind.

 _Ayano-chan. You need to wake up._

The purplette paused, hysteria lessening. "Wake up?" She whispered. "I don't have time for your mind games!"

 _Let me take over. You won't feel a thing! I'm strong enough for both of us. Remember the promise I made? Let me take over and I'll free you!_

The word 'free' sent shudders down Ayano's spine. Freedom was a myth. It didn't exist then and it didn't exist now! She scoffed, releasing the sheets and leaning back. "I just want to fly away like the stars." She told The Voice. " I've killed before. I can make a person's eyes explode with my voice. I can seduce the most difficult man with my songs. I know more than twenty different ways to snap someone's neck. I've killed over a hundred people, and yet I'm still trapped!"

 _Father has been training us separately. I need you to trust me, Ayano-chan! You've learned more than you realise and if we want to escape we have to work off each other._

Ayano shuffled uncomfortably. This information wasn't new to her; Father had a particular way of summoning the 'other' Ayano. He would place headphones over her ears and play a certain song. It was almost like The Voice was a dog! Come and go when I call on you! But other than that, The Voice drifted aimlessly around her head without an outlet.

Until now.

 _I'm sure I can break free. I just need total control! He's been throwing information around foolishly while I'm out, so I know a thing or two about the house that you don't!_

"Alright." Ayano snapped. "I get it! If we work together, we can both get out of here." She paused and stared up at the sky. The lone star twinkled softly, almost encouraging to take The Voice's hand and escape. "Are you sure you know what to do?" She asked after a moment.

 _Positive! I made a promise, which is to be strong for you. But some stuff you'll need to do by yourself. Start suiting up! If we're going to escape, we have to leave Kakuse Island!_

For the first time in eight years, a glimmer of excitement flickered inside Ayano's chest. She scrambled from her sheets and began to wander around her room, muttering incoherently to herself. She grabbed a couple of books (full of doodles on birds, stars, and lyrics) and observed the crows nest she called her bedroom. It was absolute trash! To the naked eye it was a chaotic mess. But everything was well placed and organised in Ayano's eyes. She gritted her teeth. If they decided to burn away everything when she left...

 _Let's go! We need some proper clothing. I suggest second-hand clothes from Tsubasa; you remember the junk that was wheeled down to the basement?_

"Right!" Ayano muttered. She knew exactly what The Voice was talking about! She bolted out of her room with the footsteps of a ghost. The shadows carefully guarded the girl that got to know them, concealing her from the moon. Soon Ayano came to the bin of used 'trash' by her sisters; the things she used to give away to the Kakusean people. Memories threatened to overwhelm her but her continued on her search. Ayano rummaged through the clothes, old toys and items until she saw what she wanted; a massive, dark trench-coat! It would be perfect for holding her journals with its many pockets!

She put it on over her nightshirt and short skirt-like pants, slipping up the large glossy buttons before stuffing the journals away. As her hands brushed over one of the pockets, something caught her attention. An elastic band; thick and ready for use! Without a second thought Ayano began tying her knotted purple strands into a pony tail. Twisting her head from side to side, a faint sneer of satisfaction curled her mouth. Perfect! She seemed ready for a long journey.

 _Use your hearing! Someone might come!_

Ayano hastily pressed her ears against the wall, slipping into her Meditation. At once the map of the Mansion appeared in her head along with the sounds of her wandering sisters and Father. Every one seemed preoccupied with themselves except for one; Hisano Kagami. She was in the West Wing with her birds again! Probably feeding them a late night snack. "All clear." Ayano whispered to The Voice.

 _Not exactly. The weakest point of the house is the Bird Dome._

Ayano gritted her teeth. Dang it, the monster was right! The Bird Dome was made of glass; it would be easy to break out through there. Deciding not to think about the challenge, Ayano turned and ran towards the West Wing. "Of course," she huffed quietly as she glided through the dark halls. "You have a plan for this? Hisano controls everything in the Bird Dome. They will attack me on sight!"

 _Once we're in there, do that weird screeching thing that Father taught us! Let me handle the rest, alright Ayano-chan?_

Ayano scoffed again, but pressed onwards. Either she was going to escape with a million cuts and bruises or die insane! She might as well go for it. She was done with living this way! The entrance to the Bird Dome came into view and without hesitation she launched herself at its doors.

Wood splintered! The hinges creaked! Ayano's bare boot smashed through the oaken doors mercilessly! Ignoring the splinters, Ayano dashed inside the Bird Dome without regarding the noise she was creating.

And there! The birds nesting in the artificial tree's screeched a warning to their master before fluttering low in attack. Feathers danced leisurely around Ayano as she avoided the swoops and dives of the birds trying to injure her. One caught her on the cheek and she hissed, swiping at it fiercely. Now or never!

Breathing deeply, Ayano released a high-pitched note that echoed through the Bird Dome. The birds fluttered in confusion and screeched to their Master! But as Ayano's voice rose higher and higher, the glass began to waver and crack. Ayano paused, her breathing coming in ragged gasps. This was it! Her last note was so high that it could have mimicked the stars themselves! The entire room shattered into pieces; ice rain hailing down to wreak havoc on the birds and anything that stood underneath it.

"Ayano!" Hisano's voice, laced with pain and fury, made the fourteen-year old whip around. The woman stood there with cold green eyes and sophisticated brown locks in a bun, ignoring the glass that hammered down upon them. "How dare you!" She shrieked. "How dare you!?"

 _Ayano-chan. Let go of yourself, I'm here._

Something smashed into Ayano's skull. She screamed, clutching her throbbing head. It hurt so much! Why did it hurt so much?! The edge of her vision began to fade into darkness as she struggled to get a grip on reality. The last thing she saw was Hisano launching towards her, before she blacked out.

The next thing she knew she was standing outside the Kagami Estate. The West Wing was in flames, she was wearing hiking boots, her hands were soaked in blood and a small bird was sitting on her head. The purplette blinked serenely at the sight in front of her before she realised where she was. She was outside! In the fresh air!

 _Tada! Told you I could handle the rest! Now run, run fast Ayano-chan! Go and take the test that every restless soul wishes to take!_

And so Ayano ran. She cascaded through Un Valley like a phantom of the night, her feet remembering every trail, every foothold that she had ever taken to get to the TownSquare and beyond! She ignored the sticky scent of blood coating her body as her hysterical, jubilant laughter filled the night. The bird that had been sitting on her head was flying above her and churring away; the ever faithful Nightjar!

"Look at the stars!" Ayano shouted, her eyes flashing in the dark as she bounded through the Valley. "Do you see them too, Mr. Nightjar? Do you see them?" The Nightjar trilled above her and she giggled. "I see them too! I'm going to run far way from here Mr. Nightjar, and I'm going to become the most powerful Hunter you've ever seen! I'm going to take the Hunter's Exam!"

There she was; The Legend of Kakuse Island. She sparked feat in the ones who crossed her. She was a terrifying creature to behold! Her hands stained red, her pale eyes all-seeing, her mad laughter bouncing through the Valley as she made for her escape!

The stars, the stars! Breathe the starlight in and out! She was alive and she was running like a madman! The Hunter's Exam, the tradition that her family carried out. She was going to take it and become the strongest Hunter in the world! "Strong enough for both of us!" She echoed the promise of the Monster inside her head.

Yes, she was crazy! A lunatic, insane! With The Voice in her head and killer intent in her wake, Ayano did her best to block out the one friend she didn't want; Lonliness. "Keep moving, keep moving." She whispered in the dark.

Don't think about Kale's burned body, the ground drinking her blood and begging for more.

Don't think of Hisao, driven mad by the loss of his sister. Searching constantly to the point of anxiety and depression.

Don't think of the Ayano that she used to be, before she was tossed away into the storm of her mind. Don't think. Keep moving! What was she supposed to do?

 _I'm here for you Ayano-chan. I will be here, in your head, forever and ever!_

The Voice inside her head was a monster. Her sisters, her siblings were monsters. Her Father was a monster. His business partners; Hisoka, The Phantom Troupe, The Mafia. They were all monsters because they didn't help Ayano!

"I'm a monster." Ayano whispered, dementia lacing her words. "I'm a monster. Why am I monster? I don't want to be." She couldn't change the past. She could never change what they had made her. Insane. Sick. Lunatic. Batty.

Happy Birthday, Ayano Kagami.

Happy Birthday!


	7. You can't X touch him X Mister clown

_This is unedited! Thank you for the major support and I'm so sorry for the long wait! In a few more chapters I'm going to release something I like to call a 'Thought Song'_

 _this is a special song I've chosen to represent the characters thoughts towards another character or towards himself/herself. Usually it will refer to Ayano and her experiences, but I might be choosing songs/themes for other characters._

* * *

 _Ah. So you've found me._

 _The question is, what can you do about my existence?_

 _Nothing._

 _P #2_

Well, he's gone. I'm sorry about the disturbance, usually WordWeavers aren't so competitive over one story! I thought I was the only one who knew about Ayano-chan. I suppose you know who I am now. I'm Hisao, Kale's older brother! Yeah I know you were expecting my reveal to be climatic, but half of you are so brilliant that 'revealing' myself would be a waste of time. Especially since you've all figured me out by now! Besides, I'm behind on telling Ayano's tale. Please forgive me for the wait!

As for the boy who crashed the party? I'm not sure who he was. Hopefully he won't come back, and if he does I'll be ready for him! Ok...where were we? Ah yes, we were in the Numere Swamp! My favourite part of the Hunter's Exam!

Oh! Whoopsie, I would like to ask you a question before we begin!

Have you figured out who you are yet? Do you know who you're supposed to be?

It's a hard question, isn't it. Every single person has a galaxy of thoughts and emotions inside of them, manifested into a personality! You're so complex and full of paradox's! You are a one of a kind gem! And yet it's so hard to figure out the darkest corners of your galaxy, or why certain parts of you shine brighter than the rest. It's difficult to have a something so complicated trapped inside your chest huh?

Now imagine holding the entire Universe under your skin. Wouldn't YOU break at the seams?

* * *

The sound of sloshing mud and panting were growing weary in Ayano's ears. She had long given up trying to entertain herself with the different noises; dripping, thumping, gasping and squishing weren't fun after a while.

Liquid spray flew around the applicants feet as they ran after Satotz, the air coated in mist. Their puffs of breath mingled with the moisture in the air and made it harder to see. Ayano tried to imagine that she was running in the sloping valley's of Kakuse Island; the mist deeply reminded her of her island home!

"Pay attention now!" The voice of Satotz rose above the crowd. "Be sure to stay close behind me." Satotz's words were met with silence as everyone struggled to keep up with his long, graceful strides. Though the occasional 'hut!' from Leorio broke the silence, everyone was stone faced. The corpse of the man still clung to their minds.

The siren call of a bird made Ayano tilt her head. A small black bird with a forked tongue was softly cooing above them, leisurely following their trail. Immediately a shiver of recognition rattled across her skin; that was Hisano's favourite bird, the Ruse Raven! If she wasn't careful she would definitely fall into its trap.

Deeper into the wetlands they ran with the mist lapping at their heels. It grew dark with moisture and sweat as the applicants continued their course. "The fog is getting thicker." Kurapika's murmur stated the obvious.

Suddenly Killua tensed next to her! Ayano glanced over at the boy, her ghostly eyes narrowed curiously. What was wrong? He must have sensed something for him to be glaring around like that! Then she felt tension behind them and glanced over her shoulder. Several men in blue were hard on Hisoka's heels, determination flickering in their gaze. Misty air caught in Ayano's throat as she watched them. Fools! We're they going to-

"Gon. Ayano." Killua said. Both children looked at him and Gon hummed in confusion. "Let's move up." He told them.

Both Ayano and Gon nodded dutifully. "Yeah," Gon responded. "We don't want to lose sight of the examiner."

"I'm more concerned with increasing the distance between us and Hisoka." Killua mumbled to the pair of them. "Staying to close to him is dangerous. I can smell it in the air." His blue eyes had grown unsettlingly dark but Ayano could understand why; she knew better than anyone how much chaos Hisoka could create.

"Smell?" Gon repeated blankly. Like a hound he tested the air with his own nose before frowning. "Hmmmm. I don't think he smells." Raising his voice he called out to the others. "Leorio! Kurapika! Killua says we should move up!"

Ayano snorted. What was with this kid? Didn't he sense the dark intentions from others? "H-hey! Can't you feel the tension surrounding us?" Killua stuttered, baffled.

"MOOOOROOON!" Leorio's whiny voice made the trio snort with laughter. "If I had the strength, I'd already be there!"

"Don't worry about us!" Kurapika answered their invitation. "Eeehhh?" Gon whined sadly. He looked concerned for the duo running behind them and Ayano peered over her shoulder once more. Hisoka's thin golden eyes swept lazily around him and discomfort riddled her skin with goosebumps!

But if Gon was so concerned for their well being...

"Let's go, Gon, Ayano." Killua demanded and began to pick up his pace. "Wait!" Gon called and ran after him. As he passed Ayano their eyes connected and Ayano nodded to him. Gon blinked once, twice. Then he broke into a smile! "Ok! Thank you Ayano-chan!" He cheered before running after his friend. Ayano watched them go with a faint smile.

Now. Time to babysit the other two! Ayano slowed her pace and cut through the crowd, aiming for Leorio and Kurapika. If Gon was concerned for them, Ayano would make sure that they make it to the next phase in one piece! After all she knew what it felt like to be concerned for your friends well-being.

As she came up to them, Leorio sneered down at her. "Oh. It's you." He huffed. Ayano stuck out her tongue in response before nodding to Kurapika. The blond smiled. "Why aren't you with the other two?" He questioned.

"They're too fast for me." Ayano lied. If she told them she was 'babysitting' them, she was sure that Leorio would flip out. Kurapika nodded before refocusing on the task ahead of them.

"We can't even tell which way we're going." The Kurta said after a while. Leorio shook his head in response. "It's okay!" He said. "As long as we don't lose sight of the guys in front of us-..." The trio watched the shadows of people in front of them earnestly. Suddenly a shadow on the right lost his head! All three made shocked sounds as more and more shadows lost their heads, the images slumping to the floor. Leorio made a shrieking noise and the three of them stopped in their tracks. "What's going on!" He shouted.

Suddenly massive red berries floated from the mist, hovering deliciously in front of them. Ayano's eyes widened a the phenomenon! Floating berries, how? Then she felt the empty pull of her stomach. It had been three weeks since a decent meal (not including the crusts from trash bins and other disgusting things) and those berries looked so...so...

Their skin was so plump and juicy! It looked ready to pop in her mouth with just the faintest bit! Ayano imagined the cool, sweet juice filling her mouth and running down her throat and her mouth began to water. "So hungry~" she whimpered as her hand reached for the fruit.

"GET BACK!" Both Leorio and Kurapika grabbed an arm and tugged her way just as a massive head loomed down. A Noggin Luggin Tortoise! A swamp creature that attracted prey with the ripe red fruit on its shell! Chaos ensued as the applicants scattered.

Multiple tortoises thundered through the group, bending low and snatching applicants from the ground. Terrified screams broke the misted air, harmonising with the crunching of bodies and the pounding of feet. "Look around Ayano-chan!" Leorio cried in Ayano's ear, shaking her to her senses. "This looks bad!" Kurapika spoke to himself. Two tortoises, their necks waving high into the sky, reared above them hungrily. The trio stood back to back as the massive animals leered around them.

Far away the distant wails of pain and terrified cries only meant that more applicants were being killed by unseen forces. Panic gripped Ayano's chest as she heard their pleas for help. But nothing could save them now! Leorio grabbed a stick and began to wave it at the monsters. "Come at me you ugly amphibians!" He screamed, spittle flying hectically

"They're reptiles!" Both Kurapika and Ayano corrected him simultaneously. Before Leorio could respond a tortoise lunged at him, wedging the massive stick in his mouth. Leorio wailed as he was tugged up into the air, clinging to the stick for dear life! "Leorio!" Ayano cried out. The stick was slowly cracking under the pressure and Leorio gritted his teeth. The massive tortoise began to swing him around and around like a toy, it'd beady eyes narrowed!

Ayano sprang into action. Like lighting she was darting across the ground, everything a blur as she launched herself under the beasts belly. Sliding her hands into her boots she tugged loose two letter openers; her Father's favourite's! A hiss of satisfaction escaped her lips as she dug the two knifes into the tortoises legs and underbelly, tearing into its vulnerable flesh.

Kurapika launched above her, his grey eyes dark as he brought out his Bokken; two sharp sticks attached by a string. His teeth bared into a snarl as he brought down the weapon into the animal's left eye! Right on target! The beast roared and released their friend, who landed on the ground with a painful thud! Kurapika, still attached to the monster, was tossed back.

Ayano darted from underneath the monsters belly, climbing up its back to swipe at the soft berries growing on its shell. One, two! Grinning she tucked them away into her coat before clumsily sliding off. "Kurapika!" She called. In response the blond landed skilfully next to Leorio, wielding his Bokken. "Ayano, Leorio, here's our opportunity!" He yelled before dashing off.

Ayano followed suit, tucking the bloodied letter opener's away in her coat. She'd have to clean them later. Leorio caught up to the pair and together the trio ran as fast as they could away from the Noggin Luggin Tortoise. "Well done!" Ayano panted to the other two. "Leorio you were so brave!" She turned to Kurapika and smiled slightly. "And you too Kurapika! That was an amazing leap!"

Both males blinking in confusion before smiling back at her. "Thank you, Ayano-chan." Kurapika huffed wearily. " I was worried for a minute that we weren't going to defeat it." Leorio sighed and wiped sweat from his eyes. "I'll say!" He grumbled. "That thing was an ugly amphibian!"

"They're reptiles!" Ayano and Kurapika corrected him again. Both of them glanced at each other in surprise before Kurapika grinned. "Looks like we're in sync today." He teased lightly. Ayano didn't know how to respond so she buried her face into her coat. "Aw look what you did, Kurapika!" Leorio scolded the blond. "Now shorty is all shy!" At this Ayano lifted her chin defiantly. Short? Short her butt! "I may be short, but I can still kick your tail, old man!" She threatened, the undertone of her words laced with mirth.

"We've lost sight of the front runners." Kurapika said, drawing attention back to the situation at hand. Both Leorio and Ayano glanced around, humming in agreement. There was no one in sight, and the area around them was eerily quiet. "Which way should we go?" Leorio's voice was low and he scanned around before coming up short. "Stop!" He hissed. "Over there!" Kurapika and Ayano stopped, staring at a misty figure not twelve feet away from them. Slowly, ever so slowly, the mist pooled away until the figure was visible for the trio.

"Hisoka." Ayano breathed. The name flicked off her tongue like a snake as she drank in the flaming red hair, wet with misted water and the card symbols on the back of his shirt. The clown was surrounded by the men in blue Ayano had seen earlier and by the looks of it they were threatening him.

Fools! Ayano gritted her teeth. They were standing in the palm of Death's hand! It was unfortunate that their Fate had to be at the hands of this clown. "Get low." Ayano commanded to the two beside her. They didn't hesitant and did as she said. They watched, tension creating beads of sweat on their brows!

Suddenly the men shouted, moving as one to obliterate the lone man standing in their centre. Next to her, Leorio held his breath. In hope? In dread? Who knew? But their Fate was obvious even now as they moved as one towards Hisoka.

Ayano was a master in her own arts. But that never stopped her from watching others in awe, even if their intentions were bad. 'A wise learner learns from his enemies mistakes. A learner in training gains friends of proper challenge. Seek the challenging and become their companion; you will shape each other like rocks tumbling through a stream'. This was a popular saying spoken by the Elders of Un Valley! But Hisoka was no friend. Of course, that didn't mean she didn't admire his skills.

Like a lick of shadow his arms moved upwards, wielding a single card in between his long pale fingers. In a circular motion he moved his card around him, a thin, pure line of Meditation pulsing across the field. A faint blast of air erupted and the tree's echoed with the powerful blast! Ayano felt her throat tremble in fearful awe! This was POWER! Something that she wanted desperately if she wanted to escape her family.

The men stood still, the whites of their eyes visible. Then one by one they toppled like leaves in the wind with blood frothing at their lips and gushing from their necks!

The last man panicked, knees knocking together and lips trembling. Like the fool that he was he let fear take over his body and collapsed. "H-help!" He wailed in a shrill panicked voice. "Help!" Hisoka was on him like a wolf. With a dark gleam in his eyes he slaughtered the man where he lay, golden eyes catching in the half-light. Power!

Hisoka's thin eyes slithered to where they crouched. "So then..." His sly voice hummed. "Do you wish to participate in my little game of...Examiner?" Hisoka flicked the blood from the card before running his tongue along its edge.

Like a panther he began to stalk towards them with a monstrous gleam in his eyes; Ayano felt surprisingly calm at this notion. He was a monster too. Should monsters fear each other? She didn't think so.

"Leorio, Ayano, on my signal we run in opposite directions." Kurapika intense voice made her glance at him. His grey eyes flicked from Hisoka to the terrain around them. He must have an idea! "What?" Leorio hissed. "Shut up!" Ayano replied. "Just listen!"

"He is vastly more experienced in combat," Kurapika murmured. "The three of us won't stand a chance against him." Ayano had to cover up her scoff. She would probably last five minutes before she would be killed! Them? At least forty-five seconds. Give or take a few. "We cannot afford to squander time in a pointless fight."

Ayano watched Hisoka's pale fingers flick a card from underneath his sleeve. Glistening sweat trickled down their faces and onto the ground. The world around them narrowed and distorted grotesquely as he came closer! But Ayano waited for the signal that Kurapika would give.

Suddenly birds screeched and fluttered into the air! The wind tousled Hisoka's red locks and he raised his hand menacingly! "Now!" Kurapika yelled. As one the trio spilt up; Kurapika running to the left, Leorio running to the right and Ayano turning straight around to the north.

Ayano stumbled through the bush, hands clawing at trees and branches as she gasped for air. Her coat continued to rip and tear at the edges as she got it caught on bushes and thorns. Her lungs were scratched raw with her heavy breathing, a thick liquid building up at the back of her throat as she swallowed and gulped for air. Ayano could hear yelling behind her and fear spurred her on! Her legs bumped into rocks and sharp objects, cutting open her already scarred knees and bruising her. Run! Run run!

As she tried to avoid a tree her head hit a massive branch! Pain erupted behind her eyes and for the first time in a month, a familiar voice filled the depths of her skull. She hissed and doubled over as fresh memories bubbled and frothed to the surface.

 _"I don't like you. I don't care if Father wants you to watch me because I don't need you!" Eight-year old Ayano sass-talked a group of adults. A few sneers and dark chuckles made her skin crawl but she was done with her Father's business partners!_

 _"Oi, boss. What do you want us to do to this little runt? She's being a pain in the butt." A large, gruff voice complained. Ayano stood firm against the large group of adults, willing to not take anymore crap from them. "Let me handle it." A smooth, fluid voice responded and little eight-year old Ayano came face to face with a dark, attractive young man._

 _Immediately her little face turned red as she was overcome with shyness. The handsome man wore a large fur coat with a queer symbol on his forehead, and thick mysterious eyes that gazed into Ayano's pale milky ones with interest. "Greetings, my child." The man spoke. His voice was deeply alluring and Ayano felt herself unconsciously leaning towards him. Who was this attractive tall man that Father always had meetings with?_

 _"My name is Chrollo. What would your significance be to this 'household'?" Chrollo asked her. Ayano shuffled under his dark-eyed stare before mumbling her own name. Chrollo nodded and repeated his question. "Who are you to this household?" There was a unprecedented snort as someone replied, "an experiment for the psycho I'm sure." Laugher met their words as the group's shoulders shook in amusement._

 _"I'm my Father's Prodigy." Ayano mumbled._

 _Everyone went silent. Chrollo looked down at her, a strange look in his eyes. Was the handsome man impressed by what Ayano had said? The young girl secretly hoped so. "I'm the pride of the Kagami Family," she went on and tried to look important. "I can do anything?"_

 _Chrollo held out his hand to Ayano, a small secretive smile on his face. "I see Ayano-chan." He hummed softly. "Well then I have a question. Do you know how to break bones?" This took eight-year old Ayano by surprise but she nodded slowly. "Hai, Chrollo-sama." She murmured._

 _"Break my fingers then." Ayano frowned deeply at this order. She didn't want to break the handsome mans fingers! Slowly she grabbed hold of his hand, taking his fingers in her own tiny grasp. Her little hands trembled at the thought of inflicting pain until finally she dropped her hand. "I can't, Chrollo-Sama." She said sadly._

 _She was answered with a look of disappointment. "I see. I expected more from you." He said before standing up. Without another word he walked away, the group of people following him loyally._

 _That was the first time Ayano felt unwanted. Like she was a pest. Her Father never dismissed her that way, even though he was never kind to her! And her sisters never disliked her presence; they got excited when she was around! After all, toying with little Ayano-chan was a fantastic cure for boredom._

 _A sudden rage seized her little body. How dare they dismiss her?! Ayano's rage was cold, dark and purposeful as she launched herself at the back of Chrollo. Hurt him. Bring him pain. Exercise her power! An animalistic snarl escaped the eight-year olds lips as Chrollo turned around to block her attack. Like a fork of lighting she ducked under his arm, twisting inhumanly to grab his wrist. Hissing with malice she lurched his wrist in an awkward angle, delighted with the disgusting crack that resonated from his bones!_

 _The look of mild shock on Chrollo's face made pride bubble in her chest as she stepped away from him, ghostly eyes staring up at him defiantly. "I can break your arm too, Chrollo-sama." She told him. The man blinked once before stooping to her level and softly caressing her gnarled purple locks. "That was good, you were very fast." He praised her. Little Ayano nearly melted under his quiet praise, anger forgotten completely._

 _"But your hesitation was weakness." Chrollo retracted his hand from her head, disappointment still obvious. "I don't approve of that." Ayano watched him go miserably. What just happened? Wasn't he proud of her? She broke his wrist, but she hesitated?_

 _"Hesitation is the same as running away, Ayano-chan. Are you a coward?"_

No.

Ayano reeled away from the branch, her eyes growing and shrinking at a rapid rate as she tried to control her anger. Coward huh? As if she would run away from a fight! A strange feeling rolled over her body, numbing her clarity and logical thinking. If Hisoka wanted a fight, she was going to give it to him!

The fourteen year-old slewed around, mud and water spraying on her heels as she hurtled back the way she came. Her feet pounding against the muddied turf until it became the rapid, purposeful pit-pat as she whizzed past the tree's and bush, a blur of black and purple! She was going to wield HER power! If Hisoka was wanting bloodshed she'd give him that! Nobody calls her a coward, no-

Ayano skidded to a halt on the edge of the clearing. Her hair whizzed around and smacked her in the face but she didn't notice. She was too busy looking at Leorio's unconscious form on the ground, unmoving and silent. She was too busy watching Hisoka lift Gon off the ground by his throat.

The brown-haired boy struggled feebly, his eyes shut tight as he gasped for air. The clowns long, nimble fingers slowly crushed the young boys vocal cords with a sinister smile, his thin golden eyes full of sadistic excitement! Ayano had seen that look in someone else before, but she couldn't...

Gon opened his eyes and spotted Ayano standing across the clearing. His soft, honey brown eyes were dimming but they cried out to her. It hurts! His innocent eyes were screwed up in pain. Make it stop!

"Kale?" Ayano whispered softly. A sharp tug at her chest caused her anger to take a different direction. So what if she was called a coward? So what if she wasn't that powerful? Ayano noticed Gon's attempts to breath were lessening and some unknown being took control of her body.

The Prodigy moved so fast that her hair cracked in the wind! Her foot was pressed against Hisoka's wrist before the clown could blink, bending in a strange manner before forcibly removing Gon from his grip. Dark, electrifying opal eyes bore into Hisoka's before Ayano whipped around in an attempt to smash her fist into his face.

But Hisoka was not without his own skills! With the speed of a snake he flashed backwards, taking no more than a couple steps away from Ayano as she skidded across the ground on fours like a cat. Gon fell to the ground, rubbing his throat and taking deep gulps of fresh misty air! Without hesitation Ayano put herself between Hisoka and Gon, her eyes bulging dramatically from her sockets.

She was standing between The Sonata of Darkness and Kale in her own mind.

"Touch him and you will suffer." Ayano's voice was purposeful as she lowered into an attack stance. Merely a millisecond of shock was in Hisoka's eyes before he returned to his vague stare. "Miss Ayano~3" He purred, running his fingers through his hair. "Look how much you've grown! Managed to get out of there, I see?"

Ayano didn't answer. "Don't play with me, Mr. Clown." She mocked her own innocent name for him. "I won't let you take him away!" Hisoka's shoulder's shook softly as he chuckled. What was so amusing about her? Shouldn't she be the slightly intimidating at least? Ayano felt her sudden spur of the moment dim as Hisoka's chuckles grew louder, making her feel uncharacteristically small. "It's cute~ that you think you can fight me by yourself." Hisoka taunted.

Suddenly a hand was placed on her shoulder. The girl jumped in surprise, looking over her shoulder to see Gon! He was alright! Soft blue bruises were visible underneath his shirt but the boy stood tall next to Ayano. "She isn't alone. Friends fight together!" He yelled defiantly, his voice echoing across the field.

Ayano had never seen such fire in someone's eyes. The strength and untainted courage that Gon held made her feel relieved, but she was still concerned for her friend. "Gon," she murmured while placing a hand over his. "You mustn't-"

His fire burned into her eyes as he turned to look at her. Ayano felt the air in her throat catch once more. What was this power? He was weak, she knew that! He wasn't anywhere close to Ayano's level of strength let alone Hisoka! So why did she feel daunted by him?

"Friends fight together." He told her, the grip on her shoulder tightening. "Don't think I'll back down!" His honey gold eyes blazed warmly and Ayano couldn't help but nod purposefully. "Friends fight together." She repeated.

Hisoka had stopped laughing at their pathetic attempts. Now he was watching them, thin eyes alight. "I see." He hummed softly. Without another word he turned and walked towards Leorio's unconscious body, tossing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "H-hey!" Ayano started, distrust coursing through her veins. "Where do you think you're-"

Hisoka turned and gave them a friendly smile. "You passed~3" he purred. "All of you have reached my expectations. As for your other friends? They pass as well!" He cocked his hip to the side, resting a hand on it. "Well, grow up and become fine Hunter's!" Suddenly a soft ringing was heard and Hisoka paused, looking down at his pants. Flipping out a phone he held it to his ear. "Hello~" he hummed as he began to walk away.

"Oi!" Ayano called out to him, ready to sprint after their friend. But Gon placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him again and noticed sweat trickling down his face, his lips trembling from shock. Ayano had almost forgotten how vulnerable Gon was! Stupid girl! "Hey," she murmured and put an arm round his shoulder. "He's gone now. Take deep breaths, it helps."

If the boy heard her, he didn't show any sign of it. But he closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing, the tremble in his lips slowly vanishing as he soothed his own fear. Finally he opened his eyes and nodded. "Thanks." Ayano smiled slightly. "No worries."

"Gon!" The sound of feet against wet grass was heard as Kurapika slowly came into view. "Are you alright!" Gon continued to breath as steadily as he could while Ayano answered. "He's ok!" Kurapika stopped in front of them, blond locks wet and plastered to his face with mist. He breathed a deep sigh of relief before observing Gon's state. "He's shaken up." He concluded and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Ayano nodded.

"Let's go. We don't have much time."

As the trio ran off again, Ayano stayed close to Gon. Over the last 24 hours she had developed a protective feeling for him; something about the way his eyes glowed reminded her of Kale. Gon led the way with his nose, a expressionless stare fixed in his gaze as they raced along the dirt path towards the next phase.

"Ayano-chan." Kurapika whispered to her as they padded along in silence. "What happened back in the clearing? I have a feeling that what Hisoka did was traumatising."

Ayano's gaze was fixed on Gon as she replied, "That clown was strangling him so I showed him what for. I don't think he's ever experienced that kind of violence." Kurapika stared at her for a moment then sighed.

"This way." Gon called to them as they winded down the path. The thick mist had lessened drastically and the road towards the next phase was more obvious than before. Kurapika cocked a brow. "How are you so sure?" He asked the boy. Gon hummed softly. "Leorio's cologne is very unique. I can smell him from a few kilometres away."

Ayano dead panned at this. How the heck could he smell his cologne? It's a little weird. Then again she could hear droplets of sweat rolling down people's backs so technically her way of tracking was grosser! "Ne, Kurapika, Ayano," Gon said after a while. "What do you think Hisoka meant when he said that we passed?"

Kurapika paused for a moment. Ayano could almost hear his brain working as he replied, "Hisoka was acting as a judge."

"A judge?"

"Hm. He must have his own benchmarks for evaluating power. It was possible he was ascertaining each applicants strength. Apparently, you, Leorio and Ayano must have met his standards." Ayano licked her lips at the mention of 'standards'. The only reason that Hisoka let her pass was because of their history! She was hardly worthy to become a Hunter since they were noble fighters, but it was family tradition and she had nowhere to start.

"I see." Gon said. The glow in his eyes weren't present which made Ayano's stomach churn. Hisoka must have gotten deep under his skin! She didn't like that at all! After a moment, Gon spoke. "But I was powerless to do anything against him."

Ah. So that's why he was so silent.

"Didn't you land your first hit on him?" Kurapika inquired.

"Only because I took him by surprise, and Leorio-san passed even though he lost..."

Kurapika hummed softly. "Perhaps he sensed you were kindred spirits."

Ayano cocked her head. "Kindred spirits?" She asked.

Kurapika nodded. "I seriously doubt that Hisoka could qualify as a Hunter. However, I must admit that he did impress me with his superhuman agility and graceful technique. It is quite common that those possessing special talents are drawn to others with unique gifts." Kurapika tilted his head to the side and went on. "Most likely Hisoka's instincts and experience told him that you had the skill and potential to become Hunter's."

"Killing you now would have been a waste, that was his perspective." Kurapika finished his short speech. Ayano nearly smiled with delight! How clever was this boy? She had been tempted to spill everything she knew about the clown yet it was clear that Kurapika had more to him than meets the eye.

"Hisoka is a master in his own right." Ayano hummed and the other two glanced at her. "But that doesn't blind him from the fact that there are different levels of mastery in each person. It's also possible that he saw you as a better opponent in the future. His desire for a powerful enemy also spared you from death."

Gon didn't respond to either of them, and the silence stretched longer. Kurapika's grey eyes widened in realisation. "Oh! I'm sorry!" He apologised swiftly. "Was that insensitive on my part?"

To their surprise, Gon shook his head. "Mm mm. But I was pretty excited as well." Kurapika made a shocked sound as Gon continued. "I was so scared, I wanted to run away! But I couldn't. And at the same time, I was excited!" He turned around and the light in his eyes finally ignited! "Isn't that strange?" He grinned, a breathy laugh escaping him.

Ayano felt a foreign warmth boil in her chest and she chuckled. "Not at all, Gon!" She said. "That's the rush of adrenaline in your veins!" A bright smile made her pale olive face glow in the half-light. "Embrace that feeling, Gon! Because it will be something you will experience more in the future." Gon's eyes sparked with anticipation at the prospect of the same rush and Ayano felt excited for him. Was that his first battle?

Interesting!

As they pounded down the trail towards the next phase, Ayano reflected on what Gon had said. It was a little sad that he had to experience fear at the hands of Hisoka. But maybe, just maybe, it was good for him. The warmth tickled her skin and she found a persistent little smile on her lips, jogging contentedly alongside Kurapika and Gon.

Was she their friend now?

She hoped so. Because she wanted nothing more than this.

Then a soft, nearly unnoticeable force pressured against the inside of her skull and she felt her throat convulse. The pressure grew and suddenly the girl recognised the feeling. "Voice?" She whispered to no one. Gon turned his head around and tilted his head quizzically. "Did you say something Ayano-chan?" Ayano felt her skin grow cold as she shook her head nervously. "Ah! No Gon, of course not!" She tittered awkwardly. Gon shrugged and turned back around, dismissing her strange behaviour.

Bitter bile-like liquid formed in her throat as she continued to run alongside the boys, warmth abandoned. How could she have forgotten what was inside of her? The creature that was the symbol of her Father, the violent, cocky being inside! As much as she wanted to have companions she knew that The Voice Inside a Her Head would prevent that. Even if they did want her, how could they want The Voice when it was...it was...

No. She couldn't let them know about her. As the next phase came into view, the fourteen-year old prayed to any spirit, God or mythical beast that The Voice would stay dormant for the entirety of the Exam. She couldn't risk letting the Monster loose from its cage.


	8. Never X Underestimate X People Pt 1

**Greetings everyone! Here is the next chapter of Rhythm of Fate! Now please don't judge me (who am I kidding, we all judge each other :3 ) but there has been a HunterxHunter 2016 competition on Wattpad that I have entered! If any of you have a Wattpad account and you feel a little generous, could you vote for me? I don't expect you to, so there's no pressure3**

 **my name is different from the one on here; TheWaystone! I'm not a big deal on Wattpad (or anywhere actually) so it will be difficult to find me if you choose to vote. And don't forget the read other people's work, there are some seriously talented people in that competition!**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Underestimation, your worst evaluation

Blinded by your ambition and your foolish determination.

Screw her reputation! Ignore all her creations!

Only a fool would make this estimation.

P #1

You'd be surprised at how often I've been jumped in the streets! People attempt to mug me, so when I see shady characters in the witching hour it isn't rocket science as to what they're aiming for! Is it my soft-spoken personality? Is it my unnatural golden hair? The fair, tan skin that convinces street folk that I come from a rich prospect? It could be all three and possibly more.

I mean take a look at me! You wouldn't think of me a fighter, would you? I'm all skin and bones, not to mention that my gestures and words are slightly feminine.

But must warn you, those who try to take my possessions end up badly injured. I don't take to thieves lightly. It's funny, the looks on their faces when I show them what for! I have to say it's a little amusing to watch them scramble like rats from sunlight! What makes me so intimidating, a scrawny boy like me?

Well, that's not important. What's important is the power of underestimation, and how you can use this to your advantage in battle.

How many times have you looked at that short kid in class and thought of him as weak and defenceless? How many times have you observed that shy girl on the bus and thought of her as a push-over? What about your maths teacher and his boring calculations? And the old lady that buys groceries from the supermarket once a month, staggering under all of her bought goods? That small flower growing in the crack of a sidewalk?

That short boy is a skilled martial arts fighter and has won three championships in the past four years! That shy girl? She is intuitively clever and knows everything about everyone. She could ruin your reputation at any moment! That maths teacher is always five steps ahead of you. He knows what will happen in the future, yet he chooses to hold his knowledge back. That old lady used to serve as a sniper in World War ll and has seen more blood and death than you have.

And that flower? It's actually a weed, spreading its pestilence throughout your neighbourhood and ruining gardens.

Don't underestimate the people around you. There is more to humanity than just physically strength! There is more to humanity than what you label as 'strong' and 'honourable'. There is more to you than just you.

* * *

"Looks like we made it in time."

The trio slowed their pounding feet as they entered the group of people. Together Kurapika, Gon and Ayano wandered, observing the winded applicants around them. Part of her scorned their weak bodies and limbs. If they had trained harder they wouldn't be a panting, sweaty mess! But the other half of her reasoned; The Numere Wetlands were full of dangerous creatures. Their bodies were simply reacting to the fear!

"Leorio..." Gon murmured to himself as their gazes racked the group. Suddenly the twelve year-old whipped around, a trickle of sweat running down his face. Ayano glanced around and spotted the instigator; Hisoka Marrow! The clown waved cheerfully before pointing to his left. A few yards away sat a confused Leorio!

"Ah! Leorio!"

Together they ran over. As Gon set down the man's brief case, Leorio winced and rubbed his blow-up cheek. "Man! That stings...why am I all beat up?" He asked them through a half-swollen eye. All three gawked at him! "Huh?" Gon asked. "My memory is kinda hazy." Leorio explained, rubbing his face ruefully.

Kurapika bent low, his voice nothing more than a whisper. " we probably shouldn't tell him what happened." He told the younger children. Both Ayano and Gon smiled awkwardly at him. "Yeah..."

"Gon!"

"Eh?" Gon whipped around at the sound of his name before he broke into a wide smile. "Ah, Killua!" The white-haired boy was walking across the green towards them, a cocky smile fixed upon his face. " I can't believe you actually got here!" He teased. "I thought you were done for."

Gon's smile grew wider, stepping forward to greet his friend. "I just tracked Leorio's cologne!" He explained, like it was normal to have the senses of a canine. "Cologne?" Killua gawked. "That's how?" He peered closely at Gon with narrowed eyes. "You...definitely are weird."

Killua turned to Ayano and his smirk grew wider. "Didn't think you'd get here either, with that coat weighting you down." Ayano felt a challenging smirk crawl across her own lips. The swamp didn't take its toll on him, he must be quite strong!

Quietly she wondered what his profession was; he had to have training in order to pass the Exam. Would he be fun to spar with? She hoped so.

"I'm surprised you're here as well. It must be tiring with all that ego you're carrying." She bantered. Killua huffed, his ice-blue eyes gleaming at her retort. He opened his mouth and the girl got the feeling that a serious verbal smack-down was about to happen! Suddenly Satotz called the applicants over, giving them final instructions before handing them to the next Phase. Killua shot Ayano a competitive smile.

"We'll continue this later?"

"You're on."

The gates to the next phase of the HunterxHunter Exam opened and the applicants walked forward. Ayano bounced on the balls of her feet, trying to peer over shoulders. She was so excited! What was the next phase going to be?

In front of them was a large garden. At the end of garden stood a tall home-like structure and two people; a humongous fat man and a turquoise-haired female.

"Welcome!" The woman called to the applicants. "I'm Menchi, The Second Phase Examiner!" As the group drew closer, she was able to fully observe their new Examiner.

Menchi's taste in clothing was flavourful for a young adult! Her turquoise-coloured hair was tied up in five top-knots, tied together with salmon coloured bands. Her clothes were, in Ayano's perspective, way too revealing! Menchi wore nothing but a black bikini top with a mesh shirt over it, accompanied with daisy duke denim shorts. The young woman kept her legs crossed in a laid back fashion as she observed the applicants walking in, confidence dancing in her green eyes.

The fat man dipped his head and smiled. "And I'm Buhara, the other examiner!" Buhara's clothing was mundane; what was more noticing was his size! A potbellied giant, he was a hulking contrast to that of fit-bodied Menchi.

The applicants all stood at attention below them, warily waiting for the next Phase to begin. That's when they heard it! A distinct rumbling sound that echoed through the courtyard! At once people were on guard. "W-what's that sound?" Murmurs rose as the rumbling persisted. Ayano shook her head from side to side, trying to distinguish the noise! It sounded like a rhino at full charge, or worse! What could it be?

Menchi cocked her head to look up at her massive companion. "You must be hungry." She stated. "I'm starving!" Buhara whined, rubbing his enormous stomach. Menchi giggled lightly before standing up. "There you have it!" She told the awaiting applicants. "Phase two will involve..."

Everyone waited, stone faced. What was it going to be? Battling magical beasts? Another race? "Cooking!" Menchi announced, throwing her hands outwards.

"C-cooking?"

"Wait, cooking?" A big-boned man shouted. "We're hear to take the Hunter Exam!"

"Quite right!" Menchi agreed, her confident voice holding attention of the applicants. "Your challenge for the Second Phase is to produce a dish that will satisfy our palate." The big-boned man scoffed, crossing his arms over his massive chest. "Then why the hell are we cooking?!" He demanded.

Menchi leaned her hip to the side, grinning nonchalantly. "That's because we are Gourmet Hunters!" The woman's eyes crackled with green electricity at these words. Immediately the group of applicants burst into peals of laughter. "Gourmet Hunters?!" They cried. "What a let down, they're Gourmet Hunters!" As far as the eye could see, men clutched their stomachs as they taunted the woman standing in front of them.

Ayano chuckled as well, but took liberty in observing their new Examiner's. Buhara looked slightly crestfallen at the jeers from the applicants but Menchi looked more annoyed than hurt. Gourmet Hunters? Ayano had never heard of such a thing! To her, being a Hunter meant wielding strength and command to conquer great powers! Hunter's that specialised in the Food District did seem like a joke to her.

"So then, Gourmet Hunter's," the big-boned man sneered. "what are we supposed to make?"

Menchi huffed to herself, her lime eyes glaring down at the crowd. "Buhara." She commanded. At once the massive man stood up, his gut wobbling slightly. The ground shook as his giant foot slammed into the ground and Ayano felt his strength in the soles of her feet!

"The required ingredient is pork!" He told the applicants. "You are free to use meat from any species of Biska Forest Pigs. You must use the cooking facilities here to prepare the pork! And you only pass is we BOTH find it delicious."

"And we will evaluate more than just taste." Menchi added. "Don't underestimate the intricacies of cooking! Got it?" She glared down at the big-boned man from before. "When we've eaten our fill, the exam will end." The big-boned man sneered. "Got it, got it." He dismissed her with his hand. "Let's just start!"

Buhara grinned and raised a massive fist. "The Second Phase of the Hunter's Exam-" with a grunt he hit his own stomach and a gong sound resonated from his belly. "-starts now!" The applicants all turned as one and exited the yard, hard on each other's heels in order to find the ingredients for their dish. Ayano was swept along with excitement, her eyes glowing! A Pig Hunt, huh? This would be interesting!

Soon Biska Forest was full of, "Here piggy piggy!" And "Where the hell are they?" Ayano silently tagged along with the other four as they wandered the forest. A tiny scoff escaped her lips as she circled a tree. Idiots! Pigs would be frightened by all the commotion going on, that's why it was near impossible to find the animal!

"Catch a pig and cook it!" Leorio stated as they wandered aimlessly. "This is way easier than the First phase."

"I hope it'll be that simple..." Kurapika murmured, his Kurtan finally on. Suddenly Gon took off, launching down a particularly slick hill! Killua launched after him and gestured for Ayano to follow. Together the duo slid down the grassy mound after Gon, eager at the prospect of a fun ride! "YAHOOOOOY!" Killua cheered, Ayano giggling uncontrollably! With a thud they ran into him.

Bang!

Bang!

BONK!

Killua ran into Gon, Ayano ran into Killua, Leorio ran into Ayano and Kurapika ran into Leorio! The breath rushed out of her tiny body as Leorio's weight mushed her into a human sandwich and she grumbled under her breath. "What was that about, Gon?" Killua haggled. "Found them!" Gon chirped, completely ignoring his friend.

"PIGS!" Leorio shouted! Standing before them were giant salmon coloured pigs, chewing on large white things."Um...they're chewing on bones." Leorio stated. Kurapika looked 25% done as he finished everyone's thoughts. "Don't tell me they're carnivores!" A pig turned with beady eyes and snorted aggressively. "Oh my." Ayano said monotonously. "I think they found lunch."

"EEEEEEEH!" Leorio shrieked. Like panicked chickens they took off in a cloud of dust, running hectically as the massive pigs charged them. As they careened over the next hill they came upon some other applicants. "Run you moist socks, run!" Ayano screamed at them. Gon burst into a fit of laughter at this remark, but it didn't change the fact that the applicants got bulldozed for not listening!

"THESE PIGS ARE CRAZY!" Leorio squawked as they ran faster. Gon whirled around and jumped high into the air, catching Ayano by surprise. "HYAAAAA!" The boy yelled, bringing his fishing rod down on the pigs, but it was in vain! The pigs large bone-hard snout tossed him to the side.

The group skidded to a halt and formed a loose circle. Killua angled his hands in a attacking gesture, a challenging glint in his cobalt eyes while Ayano fished out her letter-openers. Kurapika turned to defend Leorio, who was shaking in his shoes!

Suddenly the pig that attacked Gon squealed and fell to the ground! Everyone turned in surprise as the boy did a little victory dance. "Alright!" He cheered. "I got it!" Killua grinned devilishly and tilted his head. "Huuuh? Could their foreheads be a weak point?" He questioned. Kurapika seemed thrilled at this discovery and his grey eyes gleamed. "So the pigs evolved large snouts in order to protect their soft foreheads!" He concluded.

Ayano glanced around and noticed that other applicants were listening closely for tips. The fourteen year-old had to bite back a growl; let them figure out their own crap! Oh well, it was unfair since it was Gon's discovery, but now they knew how to get the main ingredient!

In no time the air was thick with pig squeals! Soon the applicants were rushing back towards the Second Phase Examiners with massive pigs in hand. Menchi and Buhara seemed suprised at the amount they caught, but didn't object as the applicants lit their grills and began cooking their catch.

As the different applicants brought their cooked pig up, all of them received little o's from Buhara and loads of x's from Menchi! The group of five watched Menchi warily as she raged at each applicant for not putting their full effort into their cooking. "Not a single person has passed..." Leorio murmured. Kurapika shook his head sadly as the female Phase Two Examiner continued to dump on the applicants. "And Menchi hasn't taken one bite." He observed.

Then Kurapika's grey eyes lit up again! "That's it!" He said, snapping his fingers. "This phase of the exam is a cooking test, but they're judging us on originality and observation!" Leorio clasped his hand to his chin and everyone else mimicked his actions. "I see..." He chuckled.

Leorio presented his pig with a tiny flag on the top, the Hunter Association's symbol on it. "How do you like my cooking?" He puffed up his chest. Menchi tossed the cooking pig into the air, steam puffing out of her nostrils! "IS THIS SOME KIDDY MEAL?" She screeched at the poor man.

Gon presented his with soft pink-hued flowers around its base. "I'm next!" He beamed at the woman. With a huff she swiped it to the side. "THATS BASICALLY THE SAME THING!" She complained. Gon pouted and moved away.

Ayano had cut her pig in slices, the charred meat daintily placed in a spiral. "What do you think?" She asked. The plate was tossed over Ayano's head and Menchi fumed. "YOU DIDN'T EVEN WATCH THE MEAT!" Fire burned in her eyes as she dismissed the young girl.

Kurapika displayed his with formality. "I am next." He stated. "Please judge my creation!" Both Gon and Ayano watched with child-like awe. Kurapika's looked promising! Bits of lettuce, tomato and some sort of fruit were placed neatly in between each slice of pork. Menchi seemed to be contemplating the dish, turning her X and O over feverishly. "Finally, someone's dish looks promising..." She grunted before taking a small portion of his dish and biting into it. As she chewed slowly the two young ones watched Kurapika. He had a quiet sense of confidence as he watched Menchi eat his food! The woman swallowed the food and-

"YUCK!" She screamed and tossed his food into the air. Kurapika looked vexed and his eyes widened. "Huh?" Menchi blew a loose piece of hair from her face with attitude. "Appearance is important, but only if it tastes good. You're no better than #403!" She flashed an X at Kurapika and the boy looked thoroughly humiliated.

Leorio chuckled as the blond walked over sourly. "Too bad!" He said. Kurapika sighed deeply. "No better than #403..." His voice sounded so melancholy that Ayano and Gon both glanced at the Leorio's tag and noticed '403' written in black print. The young girl snorted with laughter and Gon joined in, cackling and holding their stomachs!

"Man, I'm stuffed!" Buhara sighed happily, tapping his enormous stomach. Menchi sneered and tossed her judging stick to the side. "I'm stuffed too." She stood up and spread her arms wide. "Therefore, no one passes! We're finished here!" An outraged cry was taken up by the applicants as they all raged at Menchi. Ayano couldn't believe her ears! Over? Now? But...she had traveled so far and...she...

The scream of shattered metal echoed through the yard and everyone turned. The big-boned man from before had smashed his grill and was facing up to Buhara and Menchi. "I won't except this! I absolutely refuse to accept this!" He bellowed. Menchi scoffed and brushed some of her turquoise hair to the side. "In the end, you've still failed." She pointed out.

"Stop screwing around! You asked for pork, so we risked our lives to-"

Menchi growled. "I said to prepare the pork in a way that was we both found delicious! None of you made anything remotely delicious! You all did mostly the same thing, there was no effort made! Just when I thought that someone had actually tried, they changed its appearance. NOBODY attempted to emphasise the flavour. I'm positive none of you took cooking seriously!" The woman blew steam after her short rant and another man (a ninja) shrugged nonchalantly.

"All pork dishes are the same." He mumbled. Menchi shrieked like a banshee and grabbed at his collar, proceeding to scream profanities, mainly about shoving her hand up his butt and kicking him where the sun don't shine! Ayano leaned close to Leorio and coughed awkwardly. "Well at least we know what side she butters her bread on." She mumbled. Leorio looked her dead in the eye and frowned. "Did you just make a double food pun?" He questioned.

Ayano shrugged and smirked. "Yeah?"

Leorio nodded deeply. "Well done, shorty, well done." He complimented. Ayano's smirk turned into a grin as she continued to watch Menchi verbally wreck the ninja!

"Shut up!" The big-boned man yelled. "I'm not trying to become a cook or a gourmet, I want to be a Hunter!" Loud cheers and fist pumps were shared as the man continued. "My goal is to become a Black List Hunter and I refuse to let some measly Gourmet Hunter decide my fate!" Ayano ears pricked at the word 'fate' and she watched Menchi closely.

Menchi said something softly and the man turned red. With a furious yell he charged the woman, fists flying, when Buhara stepped forward and smacked the living crap out of him! Ayano's mouth formed an 'O' as the man soared through the air and smacked into the opposite wall. "Buhara, don't interfere!" Menchi scolded.

"But you would have killed him!" The fat man complained.

"Probably..."

Menchi stepped forward, wielding two massive meat knives in each hand. By the looks of it the woman knew more uses for the knives than just cutting meat!

"Let me clarify something for all of you," she shouted to the angsty applicants. "Us measly Gourmet Hunter's frequently travel into the dens of the most ferocious beasts for our culinary creations. Every Hunter knows some form of Martial Arts, and all of you lack the focus the willingness to experiment. This alone disqualifies all of you from becoming Hunter's!"

With a grunt she tossed her knives in the air. The blades separated and soon the air around Menchi was thick with gleaming silver, the sharp objects creating a controlled ring around her as she dangerously handled them! It was an impressive sight; everyone looked thoroughly chastised and impressed by her knife-wielding skills.

"That being said, it would be excessive to fail every single applicant!" A booming voice surrounded the small group. Heads leaned backwards and people uttered sounds of shock as they spotted a massive blimp hovering above them. A tiny dot descended from the blimp, growing and forming into a human being. CRASH! The air was filled with dust as an old man landed powerfully amongst them.

It was the Chairman of The Hunter's Association.


	9. Never X Underestimate X People Pt 2

An old man walked forward and instantly Ayano felt humbled. The man wore a traditional man's blue and white kimono, the soles of his feet clad with a pair of Geta, with only one tooth. His thinning white hair was pulled into a ponytail, framed by large droopy ears with three piercings and a beard. His eyebrow hair was astounding! It reached all the way down to his chin and floated around him gracefully. He reminded the fourteen year-old of an ageing dragon; wiser than the stars and more powerful than you could imagine!

"Who is that old geezer?"

"That's the Chairman of the Hunter's Association! He's behind the scenes for the Hunter's Exam!"

"Chairman Netero!"

Taking no notice of the idle gossip, Chairman Netero fixed Menchi with his aged gaze. "Ah, Menchi." His voice was weak and wobbly and he seemed to be a good-hearted man with a splash of seriousness. "Yes, sir." She said. Her posture was strict and she looked respectfully at him. "You failed all the applicants because you disapproved of their reluctance to try new things?" He asked.

Menchi shuffled slightly. "No," she stated. "I lost my cool when one of the applicants insulted Gourment Hunters, and I made the exam harder than necessary." Chairman Netero smiled at he. "In other words, you are aware that this Exam was unacceptable." He pressed.

"Yes." Menchi said softly. "When cooking is involved, I loose control. I'm unqualified to be an Examiner." Her confident aura that had diminished suddenly reared its head and she smiled. "I resign from my Examiner post, please redo the Second Phase!"

Chairman Netero hummed. "Alright. How about this." He lifted a finger. "If you wish to continue judging the Second Phase, you can. You must reconstruct a new test for the applicants, but only if you participate as well!" Menchi looked awed as he continued. "Is that alright? I'm sure the applicants will accept the results easier if you join in."

The fire was back in Menchi's green eyes and she grinned. "That's right!" She said. "Then the new task for the Second Phase will be...boiled eggs!" A secretive glint in her eyes made the applicants look at each other. What was this crazy woman planning now? "Chairman, could you please take us to mount. Split-in-half for this next Phase?" Menchi asked. The old man nodded and waved down at the blimp.

( time skip cause I can and this chapter is really long)

"Now everyone, look down there!"

Ayano was looking at (probably) the deepest crack in the known world. It was incredibly large and impossibly deep! She had read rumours about Mount. Split-in-half but never dreamed of seeing it in person! The air got caught in her lungs as she gazed into the darkness below. "W-what is that?" An applicant asked. She noticed what he was looking at and gasped. Was that-?

Menchi's secretive glint reappeared and she smiled. "A Spider Eagle's Web!" She announced. "Look below the web, what do you see?" Ayano looked beyond the long, white strands of rope and noticed soft lacy sacks dangling from underneath the webs. "Those are Spider Eagle's eggs!" Spider Eagles built their nests in deep ravines, to protect their eggs from predators. This makes their eggs one of the most difficult ingredients to obtain! The eggs are also known as Dream Eggs for their incomparable flavour.

"H-hold on." The big-boned man cried. Yes, he had tagged along too! "You don't mean we have to-" Menchi laughed loudly and cocked a grin.

"I sure do!" She sang. With a hop skip and a jump she careened right off the edge and deep into the crevice of Mount. Split-in-half. The applicants all panicked. What was she doing?!

With athletic flexibility that none of them could match, Menchi swung down the Spider Eagles web with ease. It was amazing! Ayano felt her mouth drop in astonishment as she hung on the first few strands of the web. But there was a problem; the egg sacks were deep deep down into the crevice; even if the woman did get a Spider Egg's egg, climbing back up would be impossible. She would die!

The woman hung for a moment, watching carefully. Then she released her line dropped like a stone towards one of the lower egg sacks! The applicants all covered their faces in fear as she grabbed an egg and disappeared into the misty depths below. "Where is she?" Leorio cried. "Is she trying to get herself killed?" Kurapika frowned deeply. "No. She's not..."

Ayano couldn't help but smile at their concerned expressions. She had read a lot about birds enough to know their favourite nesting spots. Didn't they know anything about the Coriolis Affect and how birds loved that stuff? Kurapika shot her a curious look. "What is so amusing?" He murmured. The girl grinned cheekily. "Watch." Was all she said.

Then a overwhelming gush of wind blasted from the crevice, tossing everyone backwards several feet! With it, the slim figure of Menchi appeared, clutching the egg with an exhilarating gleam in her eyes. Everyone gaped at the woman and Killua bounced on his heels. "That looks fun!" He said.

"This ravine has an updraft," Chairman Netero explained to the astonished applicants. "That help the hatched chicks fly up to the web!" Menchi landed beside him and chuckled. "There! Now I just need to boil the egg!" She said lightly, like jumping off a cliff was nothing at all. "You must be joking!" The big-boned man trembled. "Nobody in their right mind would jump down there!"

"Thank goodness for that, cause if I wasn't this would never happen!" Ayano stated. Without hesitation she hurled herself off the ravine's edge with a loud whoop of excitement! Gon gave a shout and soon the others followed, falling in thin air and aiming for the Spider Eagle's Web. As they all hung on the web, Leorio shot everyone a large grin. "So? Let's go down for the eggs!" He said. Gon shook his head. "Not yet."

"Eh? Why not?"

"There isn't always an updraft." Killua explained. Leorio made a noise between a grunt and a whine. "So when's the next one?" He grumbled.

"Wait."

Anyone who was in ear shot looked at Gon. Over the last fifty-hours, Ayano had noticed something. The applicants seemed to look to Gon for cues and hints! This had aggravated her deeply but now she felt a sense of pride for the young boy! Most grown ups wouldn't care to learn from young children.

The four of them watched Gon and his twitching nose. Slowly the cord in their hands started to break and other applicants around them panicked! "Gon..." Ayano muttered urgently. A few applicants released and fell to their deaths; the air current still hadn't arrived. The cord was inches from snapping and Leorio wriggled in fear. "It's going to snap!"

"Now, Gon?" Killua asked. Gon paused for a moment longer then his eyes flashed. "NOW!" He shouted.

Simultaneously the five released their webs, the other applicants not far behind! Ayano latched onto the nearest sack and ripped free an egg in passing before shooting downwards into the darkness. All of them disappeared into the murky fog below and silence reigned.

Then, like a hurricane, the air whirled them upwards into the sky! Everyone cheered in excitement as they were tossed like wingless birds in the air, clutching their eggs and grinned uncontrollably at the free sensation!

Half an hour later and everyone who had gone egg-diving stood happily munching on their milk white eggs, their cheeks bulging with the delicious treat! It was no wonder that they were called Dream Eggs; it was light and sweet, the creamy sensation sitting on your tongue and melting warmly in the mouth! The applicants who didn't go egg-diving stood dejected to the side, trying to ignore the sounds of delight as the applicants ate their fill.

Ayano watched with a mouth full of egg as Gon offered some of his to the big-boned man. "Todo-San? Would you like to try?" The man humbly took a small bite and his eyes filled with wonder. "This is amazing!" He whispered.

Menchi giggled and smiled at the ashamed Todo. "Now you understand the true wonders of cooking and how good something can taste." She gestured to herself and grinned. "Us measly Gourmet Hunter's risk our lives for such a joy!" Todo lowered his head sadly. "I was completely outclassed this year," he bowed to the woman respectfully. "I'll be back next year!" Menchi nodded in approval before walking off to Chairman Netero.

"Gon was very generous to give him his egg." Ayano said to Killua. Killua licked his lips thoughtfully and shrugged. "Well he did underestimate that Gourmet Hunter. I don't think he deserved to taste this!" With a hungry gleam in his eyes he devoured the rest of his egg like an animal, leaving Ayano to wonder.

"But we all underestimated her, didn't we?" She murmured to herself. "I even scoffed at the idea." Guilt made her lower the egg from her mouth as she glanced around for Menchi. The girl finally located her and walked over with her head lowered.

"Um..." The turquoise-haired woman turned to look down at Ayano as she shuffled on the spot. "I feel bad for underestimating you, Ms. Menchi." She said. "And I was wondering if you would except my a-apology? I should know by now not to judge others." Menchi laughed and tousled Ayano's dull purple locks.

"It's no problem!" The told her. "Just take this as a lesson; never underestimate someone by their title or what they look like, alright?" Ayano nodded sheepishly and Menchi walked off to go talk to other applicants.

With that off her chest, the fourteen year-old turned around and made her way back to the others, munching on the rest of her egg.

Yes. She would take that to heart. There were different types of Hunter's and not all of them involved upfront combat and fighting. But you still needed intense skill and power; something that she wanted more than anything else! A Gourmet Hunter would risk their lives for the joy of culinary delights, just as a Music Hunter would risk their lives for a music piece or for the highest level of musical talent there was!

Underestimation. There will always be more to people than meets the eye!


	10. Dreaming X of X Death

_Do you think a person really dies when they're dead?_

 _Not really so,_

 _Let me show you a fond memory of said._

 _They say the dead won't be found, can't break the spiritual seams!_

 _But the only way to find them is a place in my dreams._

 _P #1_

Sometimes, if not late at night, I dream of strange things. Things that aren't apart of this world! Do you have dreams like this? You do? Oh good! I was starting to think that I was a little peculiar than most.

Then again, most story tellers and yarn weavers are all a little unusual; crazy would be the proper word to describe as such! But a good Chronicler needs to be a little crazy to tell stories. We have world's trapped in our heads after all!

But some dreams are a little more traumatising than most. When you wake up, you feel like a different person. You wonder why your brain would come up with something so realistic and confronting as that dream you had dreamed not seconds ago!

Then you tell yourself that the human mind is an amazing thing. It wouldn't be right if your brain didn't go on a loop now and then!

I'm sorry, my friends. But those dreams are the work of something beyond you.

And sometimes when you wake up you really are someone else.

* * *

"I still can't believe they went to go explore the ship." Ayano stated warily. Leorio shrugged himself into his shirt and grumbled in agreement while Kurapika heaved a great sigh, mainly because of the Gon and Killua's tireless energy.

Chairman Netero had welcomed the remaining 43 applicants onto his blimp, stating that the airship would drop them off at the Third Phase by tomorrow morning at 8. His secretary Beans, a little green man with no nose and a tuxedo, offered them dinner in the hall and large rooms for rest. Ayano was more than willing to take up the offer of free food and sleep! She hadn't had proper nourishment in several weeks and sleep was evasive due to her nightly habits.

"However, I do have one concern..." Kurapika murmured to the two of them as they made their way to the assigned sleeping chambers. The other two cocked their heads to show interest as the blond went on. "How many more phases are there?" Leorio seemed taken aback by this question and he paused.

"Oh! They never mentioned that, did they?" He mused. Footsteps were heard from behind and the trio turned around. Ayano had to physically stop herself from sneering; looks like Tonpa the Fatty decided to make an appearance!

"On average, there are five to six Phases!" The fat man informed them, a pleasant smile on his chubby face. Leorio frowned thoughtfully as he did the math. "Which means we still have three or four to go..." Kurapika hummed at this new information. "All the more reason to get rest now." He stated. The other two nodded dutifully and together they began to walk away.

"But you should be careful."

All three stopped at the tone in Tonpa's voice. Leorio glanced back at the fat man and Tonpa continued. "The secretary only told us when we'd arrive at our destination. It's possible that the Third Exam could take place on the airship itself! And it doesn't mean that we'll be contacted at 8 AM." He explained.

Leorio looked panic-stricken. "What? You can't be serious." He scoffed. Kurapika placed a hand to his chin. "That does make more sense..." He reasoned.

"You might wake up to discover that the Exam has already ended." Tonpa carried on. "If you plan to make it to the next Phase, don't let yourself relax on the airship." Leorio huffed softly to himself and rolled his eyes.

"You've got to be kidding me." He complained. "Well, that was some good advice!" He raised a hand in passing and Kurapika turned to follow him. "We will bear it in mind, thank you Tonpa-san." Ayano let them brush past her as she calculated the fat man before her.

She hadn't said a thing to contribute but she could read Tonpa's body language like a hawk, no joke intended. His lidded eyes, the angle of his feet, the way he kept clasping and un-clasping his hands while he talked. This bastard was up to something!

"Hey, Tonpa-san?" She hummed softly. The fat man seemed to register her presence and his lips curled unhappily. "Ah it's you. Why don't you go follow your little friends?" He shooed with his hands to emphasise the point.

Ayano finally let her distainful hatred show. She must have looked a sight already, with her greasy unwashed hair, oily pale skin and unhealthy, tired look in her eyes. But the obvious baring of her teeth in a vicious, animalistic snarl topped it all off with a dash of crazy. "A little bit of advice for you, Tonpa-san." She said lightly. "Applicants will do anything to pass, and that means anonymous killings. It would be a shame if YOU fell asleep and the next thing you know..."

She left her sentence unfinished and watched Tonpa's leering sneer falter slightly. Leaning forward a tad more she transformed her snarl into a smile. "I wonder how difficult it would be to shove you off the edge of this blimp. Thank goodness you put on so much weight!"

With that she turned and entered the room, seeking out Kurapika and Leorio. That would keep Tonpa off their backsides for a while! She just needed to scare him away each time he approached, even if he always got the courage to come up to them again.

Leorio was already propped up against the wall asleep! He didn't even try to make himself comfortable. Kurapika was leaning against the wall as well, a deep thoughtful look on his face. "Kurapika-san." Ayano called softly. The blond looked up and smiled slightly. "Ah. Ayano-chan, there is some space over here." He gestured to a place next to him and she approached carefully.

"You have that strange look again." She commented as she slid down the wall, plopping next to him. Kurapika stared at her in a weird way and she sighed. "I've noticed that your eyes are darker every time you're thinking about something." She told him. The Kurta shook his head and rubbed his face tiredly. "You're observant, aren't you?" He shot back defensively. "You don't speak often, but when you do it's merely insightful to the situation at hand."

Ayano shrugged. "I don't have much to say, really." She paused for a moment and leaned her head back. "But I'll tell you something that will put your mind at ease. The next Phase won't happen on this airship and I'm certain of that much." Kurapika raised an eyebrow as if to say 'I won't believe it until you back it up with some valid point'.

She scoffed, irritated. "You need everything in bullet points and quick summaries, don't you? Alright, I'll tell you why. Did the Chairman introduce another Examiner? He didn't. We haven't seen anyone that could resemble an Examiner except for the ones we've already seen. And don't forget that the previous Examiner needs rest and food as well. Besides, why would they state a time if they were to have it in the Airship, It'd be pointless information to give out."

Ayano glanced at the blond sitting next to her. "Is that good enough for you?" Kurapika sat still for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, it sounds reasonable. I apologise for how I responded, I think I'm too tired to function properly." He shot her a half-smile before shifting closer to Leorio. "I think we should get some rest. You can lean on me if you want." Ayano wrinkled her nose at the prospect of sleep. Should she try, even though she knew it would be useless? "Thanks." She said. Kurapika leaned against Leorio and Ayano did the same on his shoulder. Feverishly she shut her eyes and begged for sleep to visit her.

It took her a while. Her mind was so tired that she was stimulated with energy. She was so used to staying up at night in her nest of blankets, torn music sheets, scrappy drawing and origami stars, staring up at the sky and its twinkling diamonds! She was also used to sleeping alone with no one by her side.

Kurapika's body rose and fell in a steady rhythm against her head and Leorio's snoring kept in time with the hum of the Airship's engine. The heat of the room greatly contrasted with the cold nights outside, and the warm bodies around her were better than the celestial bodies in the sky or the coo of the Nightjar.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the paranoid girl drifted off into a restless sleep.

 _Up on a hill, somewhere near the sea,_

 _Sit three little birds in a waxen tree,_

 _A bluebird, a thrush, a chickadee,_

 _Three little birds in a waxen tree_

A soft giggle and the clapping of hands followed a bright youthful voice in a meadow. Two little girls sat across from each other, innocence in their large eyes as they clapped and sang together! A little girl with mousy brown hair bobbed up and down to her own little song that she was singing, her eyes as round as sea-shells and skin kissed fondly by the Kakusean sun.

The other was a frail glass of water, thinning rosy cheeks framed by a mass of soft, bouncy golden locks and wonderfully big eyes! These eyes, the colour and hue of the ocean on a warm spring day, gazed in awe at the girl across from her.

 _Three little birds, feather wings free,_

 _Singing at the top of a waxen tree_

 _A chirp, a tweet, a chip-chip chee_

 _Three little birds in a waxen tree_

 _Chip-chip chee,_

 _Thrum, tip, three_

 _Singing in their nest in the waxen tree_

"Ne ne, Yano-chan!" The golden haired girl said with her childish lisp. The mousy youth tilted her head and signed to her. "Yes, Kale?" She communicated. Kale was silent for a moment and the wind flattened her hair against her head. The plants around them rolled in waves as the wind tossed them about; the fresh, flowery smells of larkspur and heather encircled the two in fine, glowing memories! Bee's lazily drifted in the air and high above a lone valley heron rode the currents of the sky.

Kale began to sing, her voice carrying the tune of the song Ayano had composed for them. But something felt wrong about it; the tune was eerie and melancholy. The words were different and a sudden chill travelled down Ayano's back as Kale sang unwaveringly a new verse to their childhood song.

 _Blue bird, blue bird, caught in the wind,_

 _Getting lost in the dunes,_

 _Can we find him again?_

 _Little thrush, little thrush, riding the storm,_

 _Salt water in her eyes,_

 _And her gentle wings torn!_

 _Chickadee, chickadee, the tables have turned!_

 _The wax is melting,_

 _Your feathers have burned!_

Kale's ocean eyes were cold, the light snuffed out as darkness rolled over the valley. Ice danced across the ground and coated the wildflowers and reeds, nipping at Ayano's little bare feet. "Kale! What are you-?" The young girl choked on her words as Kale's eyes rolled back. Nothing but her whites and the tiny, minuscule veins could be seen! White, milky paste dribbled out of her mouth as some unknown thing seized the little duckling up onto her two feet.

"Ne, Yano-chan." She whispered. "You burned my feathers." Slowly the skin on Kale began to peel away into nothing but burning embers! Ayano sobbed into her hand as her friend burned away, setting the field alight with her dying flame, the flowers melting and the sky turning black with foul-smelling smoke.

All alone.

Little Ayano sat sobbing in the blackened meadow, the ground hardened by the heat of the flames that her dear friend had left. Ash hung in the air like snow, dusting the little girls hair with things she wanted so dearly to forget about! There was nothing; not a blade of grass or a flower head. The sky was grey with misery and she was alone. So utterly alone.

"Ne, Yano-chan." Kale's cold voice floated, mimicking the ash. "Why didn't you save me?"

Ayano sobbed harder and smashed her fist into the ground repeatedly. "IT HURTS ME, KALE!" She warbled as hot tears streamed down her face. She continued to punch the ground, making her knuckles bleed and bruise. "Kale I wanted to save you! I just-" she coughed on her own tears. "I never loved anything so dearly as I loved you."

"You didn't love me enough. You are still alive, Yano-chan! You're still alive! How? Why?"

Ayano shook her head. She didn't know. The mediation? She didn't know! She didn't know everything! "Kale please stop!" A begging wail tore from her throat, ragged and pained as her words floated into the still air. "I don't know what to do! What do you want from me?"

The scenery changed. She was laying against Kurapika and Leorio, but this time everything was if she was looking through a slot in a vending machine. Everything was blended and twisted, and yet she knew what she was looking at!

Images flashed through her mind.

She was walking out of the room.

Someone bumped into her. She punched him hard and sent him reeling!

She had started a fight with a stranger. "Bet you can't beat me, wise guy!" She challenged in a snide manner.

She ended up locking him in a nearby room. He wouldn't be coming out for the next Phase anytime soon!

More images. More scenarios.

And suddenly everything was black. Not a single sound was heard. Nothing! Except for a little girls voice chanting words in her head.

 _Up on a hill, somewhere near the sea,_

 _Sit's the lonely remains of a waxen tree,_

 _The Blue-bird, Thrush and Chickadee_

 _Have mysteriously left the waxen tree!_

 _Three little birds, no longer with me,_

 _Far far away from the waxen tree_

 _No chirp, no tweet, no chip-chip chee_

 _Can be heard from the tops of the waxen tree_

Ayano jolted awake, the area under her eyes sticky from tears. It took her a moment to figure where she was before she rubbed her eyes furiously, making soft, wet sounds from all of the tears she had been crying.

Of course. Another bad dream. But this one was definitely an odd ball of sorts! She hadn't dreamed of Kale since she had left Kakuse Island; most of her dreams were always the same, with Kale's death on some hellish loop in her brain.

When had those lyrics ever fit with the childhood ballad she had created? It was strange. A little too strange! Her left hand stung Ayano glanced down at it. Her knuckles were rubbed raw and bleeding, purple bruises sitting comfortably in between the bones. Ah! There was the physical proof of her dreams!

"Somethings off." The girl whispered to herself. "There was something else."

The other part of the dream. She had gotten up and fought someone. Maybe it was a side affect from her earlier squabble with Tonpa? The mind is a curious thing!

Brushing it aside, Ayano glanced to see that Leorio and Kurapika were still out cold! Huh. The girl smiled slightly. Despite her commotion they were still asleep A tinge of fondness crept up on her and she moved closer to Kurapika's shoulder.

Something sharp and jagged cut into the right palm of her hand and Ayano hissed, jumping! Leisurely she lifted her hand and observed the metal screw lodged in her hand. Well then! This airship must be falling apart. She removed it without flinching and turned to look at the opposite wall.

A horrible scream tore from her throat and she stifled it with her hand. No. No no no! She...it...this couldn't be happening. It was only a dream! Just a dream!

But the more she looked at the writing on the wall and the blunted screw her hand, the more Ayano began to realise that her problems were showing themselves clearly. On the opposite wall, furiously carved deep into the metal by eager hands, was one little phrase.

 _'Ayano-chan'._

It was her. The little beast inside of her head that did it! She knew now that the 'waking up' part of her dream had come true. Had The Voice Inside Her Head really been that triggered by her dream to get up and go beat the crap out of somebody? Ayano desperately hoped that no one had seen her in that state!

Her throat convulsed in silent fear as she buried her face into her hands. She was terrified. Terrified of the creature inside of her that couldn't save Kale. Terrified of what The Voice could do to the people she had met at the Hunter's Exam!

Ayano raised her head slightly and looked at the two next to her. If she woke them up and told them, would they comfort her? Would they hold her and smile at her and tell her not to be so utterly scared of herself?

No.

There was no one that could protect her from herself. Nobody!

Silently crying, she scooted closer to Kurapika and hopes that the presence of another person would comfort her. She rested her head against his shoulder and curled close, listening to the snores of Leorio and the blond boy's slow breathing.

She didn't fall back asleep that night. The only thing she did was sit still, try to breath and count the spaces between Leorio's snores and Kurapika's short breathes of air.

Ayano did this all night. She was too frantic to do anything else!

She did this until they woke up to the rising sun.


End file.
